The Woman’s Symphony Orchestra of Chicago was a leading American orchestra that flourished in concert halls and summer stages, in Chicago and on tour, as well as on regular radio broadcasts from 1925 to about 1948.
History
The orchestra was founded in 1925 by flutist Adeline Schmidt, cellist Lois Bichl, and clarinetist Lillian Poenisch. Like most industries of the era, women were barred from participating in most professional orchestras throughout the mid-20th century. Nonetheless, in 1924, a year before the Woman's Symphony Orchestra of this article was founded, another one with nearly the same name was founded by Elena Moneak, which lasted until 1928. Schmidt, Bichl, and Poenisch felt that Moneak's orchestra lacked professionalism from vocational, performance quality, and business management perspectives and aspired to create one. Initially, their overarching organizational objective was to offer professional performing experiences for women artists, which soon included women composers and conductors. The orchestra premiered notable works of women composers and showcased the artistry of several acclaimed women conductors. Among other things, the orchestra launched a scholarship program aimed at developing more opportunities for female professional orchestral brass and woodwind musicians.
Demise of the orchestra
There is some debate about the end of the orchestra. Some music historians have noted the end of the orchestra as dating to its bankruptcy in 1948. However a photo of the orchestra exists dated 1952. The bankruptcy of the Woman's Symphony Orchestra of Chicago is generally known to have been the result of systemic changes following the World War II rather than a simple lack of demand for all-female orchestras. As men in the U.S. were drafted in great numbers, often not returning, this resulted in a great demand in previously all-male professional orchestras to recruit female musicians from all female orchestras.
Timeline
1925: Organized under charter by the Illinois Secretary of State as the "Woman's Symphony Orchestral Association"
Lillian Poenisch , clarinetist, also founded the Chicago Women's Concert Band
Adeline Schmidt , flutist, who, on December 27, 1910, in Milwaukee, married Christian Carl Martin Schmidt.
Lois Bichl '', cellist, who had studied in New York with Carl A. Brüchkner, a cellist with the Chicago Symphony for 41 years, and Bruno Steindel and in Chicago with Alfred Wallenstein. She was married twice, both to musicians, first, on March 11, 1920, to Frederick Thomas Langan, xylophonist and second, on August 21, 1925, to Edgar Anthony Bichl. Lois Bichl, under the name Lois Colburn, was a cellist with the Houston and San Antonio Symphonies, and also was an influential music educator.
Founding non-musicians (patrons)
Kathryn Funk ''. Since 1895, she had been married to Clarence Sydney Funk. She was a vocalist. Kathryn had a degree from the Chicago Musical College.
May 9, 1926: Inaugural concert in the Goodman Theater. Amy Neill, violinist soloist, performed the Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1. Five men musicians filled chairs not yet filled by women.
Elena Moneak founded, in 1924, the Women's Symphony Orchestra of Chicago. That orchestra debuted at the Woman's World's Fair in Chicago in 1924 – Elena Moneak, conducting – and performed its final concert at the Woman's World Fair in 1928.
Bohumir Kryl, a conductor, led a Women's Symphony named, in 1948, Kryl's Women's Symphony Orchestra of Chicago. This was not the same organization of this article.
