TEA AND SYMPHONY
Vancouver Women’s Musical Society celebrates 110 years
On Wednesday morning a group of committed music fans will get together for an annual general meeting, a late morning concert and a cup of tea. Nothing extraordinary, until it becomes known that this is the somewhat low-key celebration of what may be the oldest and certainly one of the most distinguished music groups in Vancouver: the 110th birthday of the Vancouver Women’s Musical Society.
It will include performances by mezzo-soprano Fabiana Katz and guitarist David Sossa.
Vancouver wasn’t quite two decades old when the organization was founded in 1905, and it was a decidedly rough and tumble place devoted to transportation and commerce. True, theatres aplenty were being built along Hastings Street, and there were bands and choirs galore. But opportunities to hear quality classical music were another matter.
A cadre of women set out to change that. Proper ladies of the Edwardian era never worked outside the home, rarely enjoyed financial autonomy, couldn’t vote, and, when married, as a matter of course took their husbands’ surnames. But they had ideas and they had influence.
Led by Mrs. B.T. Rogers, Mrs. J.J. Banfield and Mrs. C.M. Beecher, and accessing the musical acumen of Mrs. Walter Coulthard, they banded together, and the Van- couver Women’s Musical Club was launched.
Almost overnight, classical music’s elite came to perform, courtesy of the organization: violinist/ composer Eugène Ysaÿe, pianist Josef Hofmann, composer Sergei Rachmaninov, and, as early as 1910, the entire New York Philharmonic.
As the decades went by, the VWMS expanded its influence in other ways like lobbying for music in schools and helping to revive the Vancouver Symphony after a protracted hiatus in the 1920s. A special ongoing project is to provide scholarships and performance opportunities to the emerging star performers of Vancouver.
Fast forward. Leisure time for mid-week music mornings and gender-specific organizations might seem relics of the genteel past. Well, organizations don’t survive for over a century if they don’t understand how to adapt.
Aside from a name change from “Club” (with its chummy and/or elitist implications) to Society, the most obvious sign of change is at the top: for three years conductor Kemuel Wong has been president and frontman — yes, man — for the organization.
“It began when my friend Edette Gagné, currently VWMS scholarship chair, texted me: ‘ What are your Wednesday mornings like?’ I was one of the first male board members ever, and was asked to fill the vacant post of vice-president,” says Wong. “I did imagine that it would be difficult to be a man in a predominantly female organization. It’s a changing times thing.”
Changing times, but not changing values. The VWMS is still about service to music.
“Our priority is scholarships and bursaries that support music students provincewide, plus a full concert season of recitals to give young players public exposure. (Tenor) Ben Heppner says, ‘ The VWMS were the first people to pay me to sing!’
“More and more people are retiring and looking for productive things to do during the day. Everyone is welcome at the concerts. It’s my role to think of ways to improve our public profile, especially in social media. We’re slowly getting new members who come and find it amazing, and bring their friends. We are re-energizing and rejuvenating.”
I did imagine that it would be difficult to be a man in a predominantly female organization. It’s a changing times thing. KEMUEL WONG