During the 1995-1996 concert season the Albert
Lea Civic Music Association is celebrating its 50th birthday.
On November 24, 1945 a feature story in the Albert Lea Tribune carried this headline: “Civic Music Group to be Formed Here.” The group was formed, and that day can properly be said to be the date of the Association's birth.
In the early 1930s a civic group called "The Committee of 100" was formed to bring concerts and
public speakers to our city. This committee was still functioning in
1945. It turned over its assets of $180 and its expertise to the new
Association.
The Association elected H.S. Arveson, its first president; Grace Day, Secretary, Roy Delaney, Treasurer; and John F.D. Meighen, Paul Belknap, Sadie Bliss Cox, and J. John Halverson, Vice Presidents.
The fledging Association wasted no time getting under way. A season ticket drive was held almost immediately, witha Kick-off Dinner on December 3rd, attended by 150 campaign workers! The drive was very successful, and the Association was able to present five concerts in the spring of 1946. Season tickets for the first year were $6.00 for adults and $3.00 for students, and the talent budget for the entire season was $3,500.
In 1950, the association made a major purchase, a Steinway Grand Piano. The piano was rebuilt in 1977, and is still the Association's only capital asset. It has been used for our concerts (and by the school) for these past 45 years.
And so, 50 concert seasons have come and gone. It would be impossible to list all of the artists who have appeared on our stage. The names are almost a "Who's Who in Music:" Isaac Stern, Alec Templeton, Blanche Thebom, Lanny Ross, Peter Nero, George Shearing, Ferrante and Teicher, Sandler and Young, The Longines Symphony, The Roger Williams Chorale, The Norman Luboff Choir, The Ballet Folklorico, The Canadian Brass, and Mantovani, just to name a few. March of 1953 was certainly one of our "high spots:" we had Marian Anderson on March 9th and the Minneapolis Symphony on March 23rd!
We have had 13 presidents, hundreds of other officers and board members, and thousands of campaign workers. We have dealt with four different concert service groups. Civic Concert Services of New York, Continental Concerts, United Audience Service, and now Allied Concert Service. In the process, Civic Music has brought more than 250 top artists to Albert Lea for the enjoyment of its audience.
As we sit back and enjoy the 1995-1996 season we do so with special thanks to those far-seeing folks who got us "off the ground" fifty years ago, and to countless others who have given their time, talents, and support to keep it alive and well in all the years that follow.
It has been a great half-century; Happy Birthday to us all!
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