Winnetka Local History Digital Collections

Winnetka Weekly Talk, 7 Apr 1928, p. 21

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April 7, 1928 WINNETKA: TALK 19 North Shore Music Festival Has Steady Record of Successes By Peter Christian Lutkin (Director North Shore Festival) The Chicago North Shore festival, for which announcements are being mailed this week, represents the real- ization of a dream of its musical direc- tor. About the year 1900 while lectur- ing before the "Thomas Class," the writer called attention to the fact that Evanston was ideally situated for great music festivals, the only lack being a suitable hall. In 1908 when the walls of North- western university gymnasium were in process of erection (the gift of James A. Patten to the university) John R. Lindgren, an enthusiast for choral music and one of Evanston's most public-spirited men, exclaimed "Here ts Lutkin's music hall!" With the aid of Mr. and Mrs. Patten the Chicago North Shore Festival association was soon formed and the enterprise was backed by 120 guarantors. This spring its twentieth festival will be offered May 21-26. Success from the Start In the spring of the following year and before the building was completed the first series of four concerts was given to a surprised and delighted aud- ience of vast proportions. The eye was entranced with the beauty of the decorations while the ear was regaled with superb programs given on a high artistic scale. The huge choruses of 600 adults and 1,500 children gave the necessary vocal backing, without which no music festival can deserve such a title. Frederick Stock and his famous band added orchestral distinction to the epoch-making occasion, for the festivals have long since taken promi- nent place among the major musical activities of the country. With this initial artistic and financial success the Festival association at once decided to hold the festivals annually and to spare no expense in making the concerts as brilliant as possible--a policy which has been rigidly adhered to ever since. After the third year the four- concert schedule was enlarged to five and distributed through a calendar week, a principle which has been followed in the main ever since. Thanks Due to Officers For the success of the enterprise much credit accrues to the officials, more par- ticularly to its roll of presidents--W. F. Hypes, C. L. Jenks, F. S. Shaw, H. B. Wyeth, F. W. Chamberlain, C. W. Spof- ford, and the present incumbent, H. J. Price. To these public-spirited and de- voted men the thanks of the community are due in large measure for the in- creased stature which' Evanston has at- tained to as a center of culture and re- finement. And the record is_incomplete without the inclusion of J. H. Hilton's name as treasurer, and W. B. Smith as secretary, both being in office for seven- teen successive years. With the exception of three years, our own incomparable Chicago Symphony orchestra and our own incomparable Frederick Stock have supplied the instru- mental background, and the brilliancy of our concerts is largely due to this sympathetic co-operation. Evanston and the Festival association can never suffi- ciently express their gratitude to Dr. Stock for his whole-hearted and unspar- ing efforts to give distinction and ar- tistic worth to our festival endeavors. Other Orchestras Help In 1917, 1918 and 1919, the Minne- apolis Symphony orchestra, under the (Continued on Page 29) In Our Evanston Shop Stetson Hats You'll Like Our Special Young Men's Styles OU will appreciate the sincere interest our salesmen take in assisting you to choose the ONE Hat best suited to your particular type. That trained guidance, plus Stetson Style and Quality, plus our complete assortments hand- picked from the world's largest selection make a strong com- bination. $8 $10 $19 And up to $40 Our "Lytton Special' is a Wonderful Hat at $5 Henry C.Lytton & Sons State and Jackson--Chicago Orrington and Church--Evanston

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