Misplaced Pages

#54945

154-485: Hoping to create a permanent youth symphony, Dodge approached Jacques Gershkovitch in 1923 to serve as music director of the Portland Junior Symphony. The ensemble performed for the first time in 1925, and by the 1930s, PJS concerts were being broadcast nationally. Following Gershkovitch's death in 1953, alumnus Jacob Avshalomov became the orchestra's music director. The ensemble's name was changed to

308-472: A "realism" philosophy of world affairs—they believed that economic strength and military muscle were more decisive than idealistic crusades focused on causes like democracy and national self-determination. Emphasizing over and over the weak state of national defenses, they showed that the United States' 100,000-man Army, even augmented by the 112,000-strong National Guard , was outnumbered 20 to one by

462-512: A Catholic boarding school , and later became a musician and teacher in Boston and New York City . After moving to Portland , Oregon , where her aunt owned a boarding house , she met and married civil engineer and double bass player Mott Dodge. Soon after they married, Mott was transferred to Harney County for a work project. In 1910, they settled in Burns in an engineering camp known as

616-823: A Chautauqua circuit. With $ 2,000 in funds raised by the aforementioned businessmen, the ensemble visited western Oregon in September 1916 and performed seven concerts in a two-day period. By that point known as the Sagebrush Symphony Orchestra, the ensemble won $ 100 at the Oregon State Fair in Salem and performed several concerts in Portland, including one at the Imperial Hotel and one for opera singer Ernestine Schumann-Heink at

770-506: A "firecracker: small, bright and full of ka-boom", and her enthusiasm at times caused her to lose her breath. One board member of the organization praised Chen's attitude and felt that her lack of ego was a "rare quality in top symphony performers". Chen turned down a position with the Oregon Symphony to continue work at PYP. In 2007, she accompanied the orchestra on an international tour to Asia, where her parents saw her conduct for

924-765: A British volunteer corps after Japan's invasion of China during the Second Sino-Japanese War , and eventually returned to the United States with his mother in December 1937. Avshalomov spent a year in Los Angeles, followed by two years in Portland, Oregon, and two more years at the Eastman School of Music . During World War II , he lived in London, where he conducted a performance of Johann Sebastian Bach 's St John Passion . Avshalomov became

1078-648: A band of four dozen southern Democrats in Congress who took control of the House Military Affairs Committee. Wilson, in deep trouble, took his cause to the people in a major speaking tour in early 1916, a warm-up for his reelection campaign that fall. Wilson seemed to have won over the middle classes, but had little impact on the largely ethnic working classes and the deeply isolationist farmers. Congress still refused to budge, so Wilson replaced Garrison as Secretary of War with Newton Baker ,

1232-665: A concert in Taipei by the American Youth Orchestra, a touring ensemble of Boston 's New England Conservatory . The day following the concert, Chen played for conductor Benjamin Zander in a closed basement hotel bar and was offered a scholarship immediately. She performed with the American Youth Orchestra for two months before being invited to attend the Walnut Hill School , a preparatory school linked to

1386-980: A conducting competition which sent him to the University of Surrey in England and Southern Methodist University in Dallas , Texas . Edwards moved to the Pacific Northwest after he held a lecturer position at Northwestern University in Chicago , where he was also a doctoral candidate. Edwards become music director of the Portland Youth Philharmonic in 1995. In 1997, he was honored by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) for his programming. Edwards also made five recordings during his tenure and led

1540-526: A construction project near Khabarovsk , she had previously been a piano student at the Conservatory during the same period Gershkovitch was there. The two met in 1917, and in 1918 they married in Irkutsk . In Irkutsk, he organized a fine arts conservatory and symphony orchestra. The institute was successful, and by 1920 enrollment had reached more than 1,550 students. Following a successful takeover of

1694-855: A grand opera. He provided a collection of musical instruments previously confiscated by the Bolsheviks. Gershkovitch's conservatory, orchestra, and newly established opera continued under the Bolshevik regime. When living conditions deteriorated, Gershkovitch traveled to China and obtained permission to visit Vladivostok via Manchuria . After crossing the border to China in 1921, he remained in Harbin , where he met Lucia, who had also escaped from Russia. Together they made their way to Tientsin , where they met and became close friends with composer Aaron Avshalomov . When ballerina Anna Pavlova heard that Gershkovitch had escaped from Russia, she offered him

SECTION 10

#1732773356055

1848-528: A new emotional thrill, and forthwith became strong advocates and supporters of the junior symphony cause". Gershkovitch, known for his discipline and high performance standards, conducted the orchestra for twenty-nine years, gaining national attention for the ensemble and pioneering the youth orchestra movement. By the 1930s, PJS concerts were broadcast nationally on the CBS Radio Network . In 1956 and 1958 both NBC and CBS transmitted broadcasts of

2002-601: A position as assistant conductor with her orchestra, which was touring throughout Asia. Following three months of touring, Gershkovitch settled in Tokyo to undertake the newly organized Tokyo Symphony Orchestra under the patronage of Baron Okura, a wealthy nobleman and relative of the Mikado . The orchestra's premiere concert took place at the Imperial Hotel auditorium; many concerts followed and were well received until

2156-403: A professional flautist from Italy, who taught the children how to play wind instruments and conducted, Dodge assembled a small orchestra. According to former violin student Ruth Saunders, "All of the sighing, tooting and drumming soon made the citizens aware that something was going on, and due to her powers of persuasion, they found themselves devoting their time, talents, money and children to

2310-464: A rapid three-year buildup of all classes of warships. A new weapons system, naval aviation, received $ 3.5 million, and the government was authorized to build its own armor-plate factory. The very weakness of American military power encouraged the German Empire to start its unrestricted submarine attacks in 1917. It knew this meant war with America, but it could discount the immediate risk because

2464-443: A result, the richest 22 percent of American taxpayers paid 96 percent of individual income taxes. Businesses faced a series of new taxes, especially on "excess profits" ranging from 20 percent to 80 percent on profits above pre-war levels. There were also excise taxes that everyone paid who purchased an automobile, jewelry, camera, or a motorboat. The greatest source of revenue came from war bonds, which were effectively merchandised to

2618-600: A secret offer to help Mexico regain territories lost in the Mexican–American War in an encoded telegram known as the Zimmermann Telegram , which was intercepted by British Intelligence. Publication of that communique outraged Americans just as German U-boats started sinking American merchant ships in the North Atlantic . Wilson then asked Congress for "a war to end all wars " that would "make

2772-622: A strongly held belief shared by the liberal wing of the Progressive movement, that was, that warfare always had a hidden economic motivation. Specifically, they warned the chief warmongers were New York bankers (such as J. P. Morgan) with millions at risk, profiteering munition makers (such as Bethlehem Steel , which made armor, and DuPont, which made powder) and unspecified industrialists searching for global markets to control. Antiwar critics blasted them. These selfish special interests were too powerful, especially, Senator La Follette noted, in

2926-529: A student at Reed College (1939–1941). United States in World War I The United States declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917, nearly three years after World War I started. A ceasefire and armistice were declared on November 11, 1918 . Before entering the war, the U.S. had remained neutral, though it had been an important supplier to the United Kingdom, France, and the other powers of

3080-418: A symbol of wartime change. American women never served in combat roles (as did some Russians), but many were eager to serve as nurses and support personnel in uniform. During the course of the war, 21,498 U.S. Army nurses (American military nurses were all women then) served in military hospitals in the United States and overseas. Many of these women were positioned near to battlefields, and they tended to over

3234-578: A system of voluntary censorship by newspapers and magazines while policing seditious and anti-American content. The Espionage Act of 1917 and the Sedition Act of 1918 effectively outlawed any criticism of the government or the war effort. Violating these laws carried a penalty of up to 20 years in prison. While technically applicable to everyone, both laws were disproportionately enforced against immigrants and African Americans who often used their second class citizenship to protest their involvement in

SECTION 20

#1732773356055

3388-613: A telegram sent to Mexico which became known as the Zimmerman Telegram, the German Foreign minister, Arthur Zimmermann invited revolution-torn Mexico to join the war as the German Empire's ally against the United States if the United States declared war on the German Empire. In return, the Germans would send Mexico money and help it recover the territories of Texas , New Mexico and Arizona that Mexico lost during

3542-594: A training agency. Public opinion, however, was not willing to go that far. Both the regular army and the Preparedness leaders had a low opinion of the National Guard, which they saw as politicized, provincial, poorly armed, ill trained, too inclined to idealistic crusading (as against Spain in 1898 ), and too lacking in understanding of world affairs. The National Guard on the other hand was securely rooted in state and local politics, with representation from

3696-641: A unique way with words, using expressions such as "More nicely, can't you more?" and "Debussy is beauty, French beauty" (as recollected in one former student's diary). For twenty-five years, David Campbell served as Master of Ceremonies for the Children's Concerts since Gershkovitch "never gained a command of English sufficient enough for public use". Gershkovitch's often-quoted philosophy was that he did "not teach music", but rather he taught "young people through music". Though there were times he desired to conduct professional ensembles, Gershkovitch's primary concern

3850-463: A very broad cross section of the U.S. political economy. The Guard was one of the nation's few institutions that (in some northern states) accepted black men on an equal footing with white men. The Democratic party saw the Preparedness movement as a threat. Roosevelt, Root and Wood were prospective Republican presidential candidates. More subtly, the Democrats were rooted in localism that appreciated

4004-707: The Allies of World War I . The U.S. made its major contributions in terms of supplies, raw material, and money, starting in 1917. American soldiers under General of the Armies John Pershing , Commander-in-Chief of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF), arrived at the rate of 10,000 soldiers a day on the Western Front in the summer of 1918. During the war, the U.S. mobilized over 4.7 million military personnel and suffered

4158-744: The Canadian military . By 1915 Americans were paying much more attention to the war. The sinking of the Lusitania aroused furious denunciations of German brutality. In Eastern cities a new "Preparedness" movement emerged. It argued that the United States needed to build up immediately strong naval and land forces for defensive purposes; an unspoken assumption was that America would fight sooner or later. The driving forces behind Preparedness were all Republicans, notably General Leonard Wood , ex-president Theodore Roosevelt , and former secretaries of war Elihu Root and Henry Stimson ; they enlisted many of

4312-751: The German army; similarly in 1915, the armed forces of Great Britain and the British Empire , France , Russia , the Austro-Hungarian Empire , Ottoman Empire , Italy , Bulgaria , Romania , Serbia , Belgium , Japan and Greece were all larger and more experienced than the United States military. They called for UMT or "universal military service" under which the 600,000 men who turned 18 every year would be required to spend six months in military training, and then be assigned to reserve units. The small regular army would primarily be

4466-700: The Great Kantō earthquake of 1923 "disorganized all the business and musical interests of the city". Gershkovitch and his wife, guests at Baron Okura's home, endured the earthquake for six days before leaving for Kobe . With assistance from Americans, the Norwegian consul, and financial aid from Baron Okura, the couple left for San Francisco , arriving in November 1923. Following the advice of San Francisco Symphony conductor Alfred Hertz , Gershkovitch and his wife made their way to Portland, Oregon, in 1924. It

4620-534: The Paris Peace Conference . American public opinion was divided, with most Americans until early 1917 largely of the opinion that the United States should stay out of the war. Opinion changed gradually, partly in response to German actions in Belgium and the Lusitania , partly as German Americans lost influence, and partly in response to Wilson's position that America had to play a role to make

4774-689: The Portland Hotel . During the symphony's week-long tour, one Oregonian reporter wrote: "The journey of the little people is considered one of the finest exhibitions of community spirit ever shown in this state." Schumann-Heink planned to support the orchestra's efforts to tour, and promised to host a benefit concert the following year. However, the nation's involvement in World War I interrupted plans for additional tours. The orchestra disbanded in 1918 when Dodge relocated to Portland. Mary Dodge initially returned to Portland with her husband when he

Portland Youth Philharmonic - Misplaced Pages Continue

4928-637: The Red Cross . Gershkovitch married in Irkutsk in 1918. There, he established a fine arts conservatory and symphony orchestra which continued under the Bolshevik regime. In 1921, he and his wife crossed the border in China to escape from Russia. Ballerina Anna Pavlova offered Gershkovitch the assistant conductor position with her orchestra, which was touring throughout Asia. Gershkovitch remained in Japan to lead

5082-697: The Royal Opera House in Covent Garden . Just seven years later, he was on that same podium conducting W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan 's operetta H.M.S. Pinafore . Edwards has been conducting since age seventeen, when he became music director of the Maidstone Opera Company in England, a position he held for six years. Edwards attended the University of Surrey , where he conducted the college orchestra, along with an ensemble that he formed on his own. At 23 years old, he won

5236-541: The University of Michigan to obtain a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in conducting. "I pushed [musicians of the Portland Youth Philharmonic] quite hard, but at the same time I was doing that for them, they helped me find my own voice. There is something so genuine about young people making music with their entire heart. Portland took a chance on me and helped me realize my goals. I couldn't have asked for more." Chen on her role as conductor of

5390-595: The sinking of the passenger liner RMS Lusitania in 1915, the American people increasingly came to see the German Empire as the aggressor. As U.S. president, it was Wilson who made the key policy decisions over foreign affairs: while the country was at peace, the domestic economy ran on a laissez-faire basis, with American banks making huge loans to Britain and France — funds that were in large part used to buy munitions, raw materials, and food from across

5544-400: The "Boston tents". Mary and Mott had one child, Glen, who learned from his mother how to play the fiddle starting at a young age. A classically trained violinist with a "love of children and ... a deeply democratic view about making music", Dodge began teaching local children how to play string instruments , first in resident tents then in a photography studio. With assistance from parents and

5698-528: The 1920s. World War I saw women taking traditionally men's jobs in large numbers for the first time in American history . Many women worked on the assembly lines of factories, assembling munitions. Some department stores employed African American women as elevator operators and cafeteria waitresses for the first time. Most women remained housewives. The Food Administration helped housewives prepare more nutritious meals with less waste and with optimum use of

5852-587: The 1984 visit to Europe, the orchestra celebrated its sixtieth anniversary by performing at Avery Fisher Hall in New York City alongside the New York Philharmonic . The concert consisted of three pieces performed by PYP and conducted by Avshalomov ("Dance of the Clowns" from Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky 's opera The Maid of Orleans , the first movement of Schubert's Unfinished Symphony and

6006-521: The 93rd Combat Division to fight in French divisions. This allowed him to fulfill his pledge to provide the French military with troops while appeasing the black combat regiments, indignant at the fact that they couldn't fight on the front lines. The Harlem Hellfighters fought as part of the French 16th Division, earning a unit Croix de Guerre for their actions at Château-Thierry , Belleau Wood , and Séchault . Around 400,000 black men were enlisted in

6160-575: The Armies John J. Pershing , Navy Admiral William Sims , and Chief of Air Service Mason Patrick . The United States Navy sent a battleship group to Scapa Flow to join with the British Grand Fleet , destroyers to Queenstown , Ireland and submarines to help guard convoys. Several regiments of Marines were also dispatched to France. The British and French wanted U.S. units to be used to reinforce their troops already on

6314-667: The Atlantic. Until 1917, Wilson made minimal preparations for a land war and kept the United States Army on a small peacetime footing, despite increasing demands for enhanced preparedness. He did, however, expand the United States Navy . In 1917, with the Russian Revolution and widespread disillusionment over the war, and with Britain and France low on credit, the German Empire appeared to have

Portland Youth Philharmonic - Misplaced Pages Continue

6468-471: The CPI saturated the public with propaganda, fostering American patriotism and stoking anti-German sentiment among the younger generation. This effectively suppressed the voices of neutrality supporters. The CPI also controlled the dissemination of war information on the American home front. The committee's New Division influenced news coverage by releasing thousands of press releases. The News Division also promoted

6622-423: The Children's Concerts, since Gershkovitch "never gained a command of English sufficient enough for public use". Gershkovitch's often-quoted philosophy was that he did "not teach music", but rather he taught "young people through music". Though there were times when he also wished to conduct professional ensembles, Gershkovitch's primary concern was educating the youth. Apart from music education, Gershkovitch stressed

6776-852: The Conservatory Orchestra, the Wind Ensemble, and the Young String Ensemble. Participating musicians range in age from seven to twenty-two years and attend dozens of schools within the Portland metropolitan area and surrounding communities. Mary V. Dodge ( birth name Mary B. Thompson) was born in Arkansas in 1876. When she was five years old, her father died, causing her and her sisters to be placed in an orphanage while their mother finished nursing school . Mary Thompson became interested in music while attending

6930-621: The Democratic mayor of Cleveland and an outspoken opponent of preparedness. The upshot was a compromise passed in May 1916, as the war raged on and Berlin was debating whether America was so weak it could be ignored. The Army was to double in size to 11,300 officers and 208,000 men, with no reserves, and a National Guard that would be enlarged in five years to 440,000 men. Summer camps on the Plattsburg model were authorized for new officers, and

7084-657: The Enemy Act of 1917, the US was able to put immense pressure on neutral countries to reduce and eventually cease entirely their trade with Germany. As late as 1917, the United States maintained only a small army, one which was in fact smaller than those of thirteen of the states already active in the war. After the passage of the Selective Service Act in 1917, it drafted 4 million men into military service. The Commission on Training Camp Activities sought to improve

7238-399: The German U-boat U-20 sank the British liner Lusitania on 7 May 1915 with 128 U.S. citizens aboard, Wilson demanded an end to German attacks on passenger ships, and warned that the US would not tolerate unrestricted submarine warfare in violation of "American rights" and of "international obligations." Wilson's Secretary of State , William Jennings Bryan , resigned, believing that

7392-413: The German Empire (or with Britain, for that matter), were simply ignored. Wilson's decision touched off a firestorm. Secretary of War Lindley Garrison adopted many of the proposals of the Preparedness leaders, especially their emphasis on a large federal reserves and abandonment of the National Guard . Garrison's proposals not only outraged the provincial politicians of both parties, they also offended

7546-426: The Mexican–American War 70 years earlier. British intelligence intercepted the telegram and passed the information on to Washington. Wilson released the Zimmerman note to the public and Americans saw it as a casus belli —a justification for war. At first, Wilson tried to maintain neutrality while fighting off the submarines by arming American merchant ships with guns powerful enough to sink German submarines on

7700-541: The National Guard, and the voters were hostile to the rich and powerful in the first place. Working with the Democrats who controlled Congress, Wilson was able to sidetrack the Preparedness forces. Army and Navy leaders were forced to testify before Congress to the effect that the nation's military was in excellent shape. In reality, neither the U.S. Army nor U.S. Navy was in shape for war in terms of manpower, size, military hardware or experience. The Navy had fine ships but Wilson had been using them to threaten Mexico , and

7854-519: The New England Conservatory, at age sixteen. For more than three years, Chen lived with a couple in Boston she referred to as her "American parents" (Mark Churchill and Marylou Speaker Churchill; the latter was once a member of the Portland Junior Symphony). Chen continued her undergraduate and graduate work at the Conservatory and became the first person to graduate from the institution with a double master's degree in conducting and violin performance. Chen remained in Boston for nine years, then enrolled at

SECTION 50

#1732773356055

8008-431: The Oregon Symphony (Chen was the ensemble's assistant conductor from 2003 to 2005) and Chamber Music Northwest . In April 2005, Chen became the first woman to win the Malko Competition , the "world's most prestigious prize" for young conductors. She also won the Taki Concordia Fellowship in 2007, an award established by Baltimore Symphony Orchestra music director Marin Alsop to support "promising" female conductors. Chen

8162-418: The Oregon Symphony's Patty Vemer Excellence in Music Education Award. Created in memory of Patty Vemer, once the director of music education at the Oregon Symphony, the award "honors those who have made significant contributions to music education and their community and who have served as an inspiration to their students". This marked the first year the award had been given to an organization. Notable alumni of

8316-542: The Orient (when Gershkovitch and his wife met Aaron, Jacob was three years old). However, because they did not hold permanent visas, the family returned to China. Jacob graduated from British and American schools before age fifteen, then worked as a factory supervisor in Tientsin, Shanghai and Beijing over a span of four years. Avshalomov was also active in sports and won the diving championship of North China. In 1937, Avshalomov assisted his father in Shanghai with ballet production and worked on scores . He then enlisted with

8470-487: The Philharmonic Chen became PYP's fourth conductor in 2002 after being selected by a committee of "musically inclined" parents, a member of the orchestra, and representatives from the Oregon Symphony and Portland Opera . She conducted both the Philharmonic ensemble as well as the Conservatory Orchestra. During her five-year tenure with the organization, PYP debuted at Carnegie Hall , received its third ASCAP award in 2004 for innovating programming, and began collaborating with

8624-427: The Portland Creative Theatre and School of Music, Drama, and Dance to collaborate. Gershkovitch suggested that the Portland Junior Symphony and the ballet studio perform portions of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker as part of Portland's annual Rose Festival . 5,000 spectators attended the Rose Queen coronation ceremony at Civic Auditorium to witness the production, which featured 100 ballerinas and dancers. The production

8778-417: The Portland Junior Symphony second orchestra conductor in 1954. During his forty-year tenure, Avshalomov produced several recordings, several of which included pieces commissioned by the orchestra, making PJS the first known recording orchestra in the Pacific Northwest . He led the ensemble on its first international tour in 1970. The orchestra became known as the Portland Youth Philharmonic in 1978. 1984 marked

8932-450: The Portland Junior Symphony. Gershkovitch taught flute and conducted the Ellison-White Conservatory's student orchestra, at the time directed by Jacob Avshalomov , until his new PJS duties required his full attention. The symphony performed for the first time on February 14, 1925, at Portland's Lincoln High School Auditorium (which later became Portland State University 's Lincoln Hall ), performing Schubert 's Unfinished Symphony . At

9086-410: The Portland Youth Philharmonic consists of four ensembles: the Portland Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, the Portland Youth Conservatory Orchestra, the Portland Youth Wind Ensemble, and the Young String Ensemble. Each group is selected in open auditions in the spring and fall and is highly selective. Having previously conducted ballet repertory, Gershkovitch was approached in 1934 by Willam Christensen of

9240-426: The Portland Youth Philharmonic in 1978. The PYP has had five conductors and music directors during its history: Gershkovitch (1924–1953), Avshalomov (1954–1995), Huw Edwards (1995–2002), Mei-Ann Chen (2002–2007), and professional clarinetist David Hattner (2008–present). The PYP's umbrella organization, the Portland Youth Philharmonic Association, consists of four ensembles, including the Philharmonic Orchestra,

9394-399: The President's protests against the German use of U-boat attacks conflicted with America's official commitment to neutrality. On the other hand, Wilson came under pressure from war hawks led by former president Theodore Roosevelt , who denounced German acts as "piracy", and from British delegations under Cecil Spring Rice and Sir Edward Grey . The American public reacted with outrage to

SECTION 60

#1732773356055

9548-401: The U.S. Army was negligible and the new warships would not be at sea until 1919 by which time the war would be over, Berlin thought, with the German Empire victorious. The notion that armaments led to war was turned on its head: refusal to arm in 1916 led to war in 1917. In January 1917, the German Empire resumed unrestricted submarine warfare in hopes of forcing Britain to begin peace talks. In

9702-430: The U.S. fight alongside a country ruled by an absolutist monarch. Pleased by the Provisional Government's pro-war stance, the U.S. accorded the new government diplomatic recognition on March 9, 1917. Furthermore, as the war raged on Wilson started to increasingly see belligerency in the war as a ticket to the international conferences that would undoubtedly follow the war's end. This was part of his wider mission to make

9856-431: The U.S. military. Some have come to see the work camps that black soldiers were subjected to as a means for the export of Jim Crow as the people within them essentially became a servant class for white military officers. Despite these conditions, major African American figures endorsed enlistment in the military. W.E.B Du Bois urged his fellow African Americans to "join shoulder to shoulder with our fellow citizens and

10010-426: The United States a more instrumental player on the global stage (which he would later expand upon in his Fourteen points ). Congress declared war on the Austro-Hungarian Empire on December 7, 1917, but never made declarations of war against the other Central Powers, Bulgaria , the Ottoman Empire or the various small co-belligerents allied with the Central Powers. Thus, the United States remained uninvolved in

10164-412: The United States at the time, Dodge knew that a professional male conductor would need to lead the orchestra. Dodge approached Jacques Gershkovitch , a Russian immigrant in Portland who was guest conductor for the Portland Symphony (which would later become the Oregon Symphony ), after seeing him conduct. Though Gershkovitch first explained that he did not teach children, Dodge insisted that he listen to

10318-439: The United States. The symphony performed for the first time on February 14, 1925, at the Lincoln High School Auditorium (which later became Portland State University 's Lincoln Hall ), playing Schubert 's Unfinished Symphony . Gershkovitch allegedly introduced the composition and stated "You play, or I keel [ sic ] you" in his heavy accent at the ensemble's first rehearsal. Concert attendees reportedly surged

10472-407: The allied nations that are fighting for democracy". This was done because African Americans saw the war effort as an opportunity to prove their patriotism and loyalty to the United States. Many hoped that by involving themselves in the war they would win expanded rights on the home front. This did not end up entirely occur as the race riots that followed the armistice in the Red Summer . An outcome of

10626-545: The auditorium to capacity broke into storm upon storm of applause". According to Ronald Russell, author of A New West to Explore (1938), the audience "had experienced a new emotional thrill, and forthwith became strong advocates and supporters of the junior symphony cause." In spring 1925, the orchestra gained national attention by performing at the convention of the National Federation of Music Clubs in Portland. The Sunday Oregonian reported that convention attendees were "so deeply impressed that they declared it unhesitatingly

10780-475: The banner of Services of Supply (SOS). The African Americans placed in these units often spent their days doing tough labour like unloading supplies from ships or transporting goods from ports to warehouses near the front lines. These battalions were also tasked with building warehouses, roads, railroads and other vital infrastructure near major ports like Brest , Bordeaux , Marseilles , and St. Nazaire . The men who served in these units were faced with some of

10934-399: The battle lines and not to waste scarce shipping on bringing over supplies. The U.S. rejected the first proposition and accepted the second. General John J. Pershing, American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) commander, refused to break up U.S. units to serve as mere reinforcements for British Empire and French units. As an exception, he did allow the African-American combat regiments that made up

11088-578: The bonds were redeemed, with interest, after the war. Before the United States entered the war, New York banks had loaned heavily to the British. After the U.S. entered in April 1917, the Treasury made $ 10 billion in long-term loans to Britain, France and the other allies, with the expectation the loans would be repaid after the war. Indeed, the United States insisted on repayment, which by the 1950s eventually

11242-593: The children of Portland". Six years later, the orchestra was financially sound, and Dodge resigned to focus on teaching. She also became increasingly dedicated to a scientific approach to bowing . Dodge died in 1954. Born in 1884 to a Jewish family in Irkutsk , Russia , Gershkovitch grew up listening to chamber music and was sent to Saint Petersburg in his late teens to study at the Imperial Conservatory . Gershkovitch arrived with "17 rubles in his pocket and his flute under his arm"; he auditioned and

11396-517: The city by the Bolsheviks , Gershkovitch conducted bands for funeral services under the new regime. During a service rehearsal, Gershkovitch removed a man causing numerous interruptions. As a result, Gershkovitch was commanded to visit the Cheka , the presiding chief of which was the victim of the previous day's incident. However, the chief was a devotee of music and requested that Gershkovitch produce

11550-545: The civilian market, such as food, horses, saddles, wagons, and uniforms were always purchased from civilian contractors. Peace leaders like Jane Addams of Hull House and David Starr Jordan of Stanford University redoubled their efforts, and now turned their voices against the President because he was "sowing the seeds of militarism, raising up a military and naval caste." Many ministers, professors, farm spokesmen and labor union leaders joined in, with powerful support from

11704-492: The conservative wing of the Republican Party. The only road to peace was disarmament in the eyes of many. Garrison's plan unleashed the fiercest battle in peacetime history over the relationship of military planning to national goals. In peacetime, War Department arsenals and Navy yards manufactured nearly all munitions that lacked civilian uses, including warships, artillery, naval guns, and shells. Items available on

11858-557: The creation of the Sagebrush Orchestra." The orchestra's first concert was held in 1912 at Tonawama Hall in Burns. With funds provided by rancher Bill Hanley, lawyer and artist Charles Erskine Scott Wood , and additional Burns businessmen, Dodge purchased musical instruments for the children and expanded the orchestra to between thirty and thirty-five members. By 1915, the orchestra was touring throughout eastern Oregon on

12012-400: The day, including Louis D. Fancher and Henry Reuterdahl . After the armistice was signed in 1918, the CPI was disbanded, having pioneered some of the tactics still employed by propagandists today. The nation placed a great importance on the role of children, teaching them patriotism and national service and asking them to encourage war support and educate the public about the importance of

12166-617: The demand of the Southern progressive elements. North Carolina Congressman Claude Kitchin , chairman of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee argued that since Eastern businessman had been leaders in calling for war, they should pay for it. In an era when most workers earned under $ 1000 a year, the basic exemption was $ 2,000 for a family. Above that level taxes began at the 2 percent rate in 1917, jumping to 12 percent in 1918. On top of that there were surcharges of one percent for incomes above $ 5,000 to 65 percent for incomes above $ 1,000,000. As

12320-417: The eight-month season, along with dress rehearsals prior to performances. Three or four concerts were presented each season, many at Portland Public Auditorium (now known as Keller Auditorium ). The organization was sustained financially through concert admission and donations—instruments, funds towards scholarships and the general endowment, and music for the association's library were also accepted to ensure

12474-566: The end, the German Empire miscalculated the United States' influence on the outcome of the conflict, believing it would be many more months before U.S. troops would arrive and overestimating the effectiveness of U-boats in slowing the American buildup. Beginning with the Battle of Saint-Mihiel , the first major battle involving the American Expeditionary Forces , the leaders of the United States war efforts were General of

12628-486: The ensemble's first rehearsal, Gershkovitch introduced the composition and said, "You play, or I keel you", in his heavy Russian accent. Concert attendees reportedly rushed the stage after the debut concert to congratulate the musicians, Gershkovitch and Dodge, who was present and was called to the stage. One reviewer for the Oregon Sunday Journal wrote the following day that the "audience that almost filled

12782-556: The expenses of two of his siblings who were also studying at the Conservatory, Gershkovitch performed with bands and orchestras. This delayed his undergraduate work, but in 1913 he graduated with the title of "laureate" (the conservatory's highest honor) with honors in flute and conducting, and was awarded the Schubert Scholarship for a year of study under German conductor Arthur Nikisch in Berlin . However, this period

12936-513: The expertise necessary to redirect the economy into the production of munitions and food necessary for the war, as well as for propaganda purposes. The most admired agency for efficiency was the United States Food Administration under Herbert Hoover . It launched a massive campaign to teach Americans to economize on their food budgets and grow victory gardens in their backyards for family consumption. It managed

13090-479: The first state bureau in the United States dedicated solely to propaganda. George Creel , an energetic journalist and political campaign organizer, was appointed by President Wilson to lead the CPI. Creel sought out any information that would discredit his opponents. With boundless energy, Creel developed an intricate and unprecedented propaganda system that influenced every aspect of American life. Through photographs, movies, rallies, press reports, and public meetings,

13244-702: The first time. The Philharmonic offered a total of six performances between June 29 and July 17 in Kaohsiung, Tainan and Taipei, Taiwan, as well as in Seoul and Ulsan , South Korea . Though Chen initially thought she would remain with the Philharmonic for ten years, she left in 2007 to become assistant conductor of the Atlanta Symphony . She said of her departure: "The musicians at PYP have become my kids. When I look back, these five years will always be

13398-547: The fleet the equal of the British Royal Navy by the mid-1920s, although this would not come to pass until World War II . "Realism" was at work here; the admirals were Mahanians and they therefore wanted a surface fleet of heavy battleships second to none—that is, equal to the Royal Navy . The facts of submarine warfare (which necessitated destroyers, not battleships) and the possibilities of imminent war with

13552-639: The fleet's readiness had suffered. The crews of the Texas and the New York , the two newest and largest battleships, had never fired a gun, and the morale of the sailors was low. The Army and Navy air forces were tiny in size. Despite the flood of new weapons systems unveiled in the war in Europe, the Army was paying scant attention. For example, it was making no studies of trench warfare , poison gas or tanks , and

13706-533: The foods available. Most important, the morale of the women remained high, as millions of middle-class women joined the Red Cross as volunteers to help soldiers and their families. With rare exceptions, women did not try to block the draft. The Department of Labor created a Women in Industry group, headed by prominent labor researcher and social scientist Mary van Kleeck . This group helped develop standards for women who were working in industries connected to

13860-812: The fourth movement of Avshalomov's own symphony, The Oregon ), a performance by the New York Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein 's leadership and finally Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet conducted by Bernstein with a combined ensemble of 210 musicians. The orchestra traveled to Australia and New Zealand in 2000 under the leadership of Huw Edwards, performing Dmitri Shostakovich 's Symphony No. 10 . In 2007, PYP performed six concerts throughout Taiwan (in Kaohsiung, Tainan and Taipei) and South Korea (Ulsan and Seoul). In 1993, ASCAP honored PYP with its award for "Adventuresome Programming of Contemporary Music". ASCAP presented PYP with second and third awards in 1997 and 2004, respectively. In 2010, PYP received

14014-500: The government was given $ 20 million to build a nitrate plant of its own. Preparedness supporters were downcast, the antiwar people were jubilant. The United States would now be too weak to go to war. Colonel Robert L. Bullard privately complained that "Both sides [Britain and the German Empire] treat us with scorn and contempt; our fool, smug conceit of superiority has been exploded in our faces and deservedly.". The House gutted

14168-500: The highest commendation—all in a quaint and very special brand of English. The children loved it, for it always had an element of the unexpected. — Jacob Avshalomov , later the orchestra's conductor and music director, on Gershkovitch's style Under Gershkovitch's leadership, the Portland Junior Symphony (now known as the Portland Youth Philharmonic ) was founded in late 1924 as the first youth orchestra in

14322-503: The importance of proper conduct, manners, and "values in life and art" as ways to build character. Following Gershkovitch's death in 1953, guest conductors led the orchestra for its 30th season—one conductor was Jacob Avshalomov, a Columbia University teacher and PJS alumnus who had studied under Gershkovitch while a student at Reed College from 1939 to 1941. Jacob Avshalomov was born on March 28, 1919, in Tsingtao , China. His father

14476-733: The large cities and often in control of the Democratic Party apparatus, was strongly hostile to helping Britain in any way, especially after the Easter uprising of 1916 in Ireland. Most of the Protestant church leaders in the United States, regardless of their theology, favored pacifistic solutions whereby the United States would broker a peace. Most of the leaders of the women's movement , typified by Jane Addams , likewise sought pacifistic solutions. The most prominent opponent of war

14630-470: The loss of over 116,000 soldiers. The war saw a dramatic expansion of the United States government in an attempt to harness the war effort and a significant increase in the size of the U.S. Armed Forces . After a relatively slow start in mobilizing the economy and labor force, by spring 1918, the nation was poised to play a role in the conflict. Under the leadership of President Woodrow Wilson ,

14784-487: The masses through an elaborate innovative campaign to reach average Americans. Movie stars and other celebrities, supported by millions of posters, and an army of Four-Minute Men speakers explained the importance of buying bonds. In the third Liberty Loan campaign of 1918, more than half of all families subscribed. In total, $ 21 billion in bonds were sold with interest from 3.5 to 4.7 percent. The new Federal Reserve system encouraged banks to loan families money to buy bonds. All

14938-622: The military . Gershkovitch began his conducting career as head of the Imperial Russian Army 's military symphony orchestra, a position he held through the 1917 revolution . In 1918, Gershkovitch married in Irkutsk and established a successful fine arts conservatory and symphony orchestra, which continued under the Bolshevik regime. Gershkovitch and his wife left Russia in 1921 for China, where they befriended composer Aaron Avshalomov . Ballerina Anna Pavlova offered Gershkovitch an assistant conductor position with her orchestra, which

15092-647: The military campaigns in central and eastern Europe, the Middle East, the Caucasus, North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and the Pacific. The home front required a systematic mobilization of the entire population and the entire economy to produce the soldiers, food supplies, munitions, and money needed to win the war. It took a year to reach a satisfactory state. Although the war had already raged for two years, Washington had avoided planning, or even recognition of

15246-469: The military from 1917 to 1918 with half of these men being sent to Europe. However, with the exception of the 42,000 men in the 92nd and 93rd Combat Divisions, the majority of African Americans weren't permitted to serve in active combat roles as white officers believed that black men lacked the 'mental stamina and moral sturdiness' that a front line soldier required. Those enlisted in the army and sent to Europe most commonly served in labour battalions under

15400-578: The morals and morale of the troops. By the summer of 1918, about 2 million U.S. soldiers had arrived in France, about half of whom eventually saw front-line service; by the Armistice of November 11 approximately 10,000 U.S. soldiers were arriving in France daily. In 1917, Congress gave U.S. citizenship to Puerto Ricans when they were drafted to participate in World War I, as part of the Jones Act . In

15554-444: The most memorable time of my musical career." Guest conductors during the 2007–2008 season included Ken Selden, director of orchestral studies at Portland State University, former Seattle Symphony conductor Alastair Willis , and former PYP conductors Huw Edwards and Chen herself. David Hattner was chosen from a field of candidates to be the conductor and music director of PYP in 2008. A graduate of Northwestern University , Hattner

15708-479: The most wonderful organization of its kind in the entire country". The symphony's second season premiered to a capacity audience on November 25, 1925, with the 75-member ensemble performing Mozart's Symphony No. 40 in its entirety along with "In the Village" from Ippolitov-Ivanov 's Caucasian Sketches , the waltz from Rebikov 's The Christmas Tree and the march from Wagner 's opera Tannhäuser . Early in

15862-518: The nation's food distribution and prices and built Hoover's reputation as an independent force of presidential quality. In 1917 the government was unprepared for the enormous economic and financial strains of the war. Washington hurriedly took direct control of the economy. The total cost of the war came to $ 33 billion, which was 42 times as large as all Treasury receipts in 1916. A constitutional amendment legitimized income tax in 1913; its original very low levels were dramatically increased, especially at

16016-469: The nation's most prominent bankers, industrialists, lawyers and scions of prominent families. Indeed, there emerged an " Atlanticist " foreign policy establishment, a group of influential Americans drawn primarily from upper-class lawyers, bankers, academics, and politicians of the Northeast, committed to a strand of Anglophile internationalism. The Preparedness movement had what political scientists call

16170-664: The naval plans as well, defeating a "big navy" plan by 189 to 183, and canceling the battleships. The battle of Jutland (May 31/June 1, 1916) saw the main German High Seas Fleet engage in a monumental yet inconclusive clash with the far stronger Grand Fleet of the Royal Navy. Arguing this battle proved the validity of Mahanian doctrine, the navalists took control in the Senate, broke the House coalition, and authorized

16324-495: The newly organized Tokyo Symphony Orchestra. However, the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake disrupted the organization and caused Gershkovitch and his wife to emigrate to the United States. The couple arrived in San Francisco in November 1923 and made their way to Portland in 1924. There, Gershovitch was approached to lead the Portland Junior Symphony. Known for his discipline and high performance standards, Gershkovitch conducted

16478-402: The orchestra for 29 years, gaining national attention for the ensemble and pioneering the youth orchestra movement. By the 1930s, PJS concerts were broadcast nationally on the CBS Radio Network . In 1956 and 1958, both NBC and CBS transmitted broadcasts of the orchestra's programs across the United States, and three transcribed programs were broadcast overseas by Voice of America . Gershkovitch

16632-513: The orchestra for twenty-nine years, gaining national attention for the ensemble and pioneering the youth orchestra movement until his death in 1953. Jacques Gershkovitch was born in 1884 to a Jewish family in Irkutsk near Lake Baikal in Siberia , Russia . His father, an amateur violinist "who made up in enthusiasm what he lacked in skill", and mother had seven children, six of whom became professional conductors or singers. Chamber music

16786-600: The orchestra include Robert Mann , who helped found the Juilliard String Quartet , and Eugene Linden , founder and conductor of the Tacoma Philharmonic Orchestra. Additional students of Gershkovitch who later became professional musicians include Jesse Kregal, Marilynn (Nudelman) Kregal, Barry Lamont, Beverly LeBeck, Frederic Rothchild, Warren Signor and Jacob Avshalomov himself. Other professional musicians who were once part of

16940-491: The orchestra include Glenn Reeves, later a principal violist for the Oregon Symphony; Brian Hamilton, who became a cellist for the Tacoma Philharmonic Orchestra; and Marion Fox, who later joined the Oregon Symphony as a violinist. Harp player Frances Pozzi and Earl Rankin later became staff artists for KOIN and KGW , respectively. Jacques Gershkovitch Jacques Gershkovitch (1884–1953)

17094-592: The orchestra on two international tours: Canada in 1998, and Australia/New Zealand in 2000. PYP represented the United States at the Banff International Festival of Youth Orchestras in 1998. Edwards established a peer mentoring program that partnered orchestra musicians with low-income students who had little access to music education . From 1998 to 2005, he was a faculty member at the Marrowstone Music Festival . During

17248-551: The orchestra's programs across the United States, and three transcribed programs were broadcast overseas from Voice of America in Washington, D.C. Gershkovitch was also responsible for adding a Preparatory Orchestra (later renamed the Conservatory Orchestra) due to increased membership. He tried to incorporate at least one American composition in each concert. Gershkovitch had a distinctive personality and

17402-458: The orchestra's sixtieth anniversary as well as Avshalomov's thirtieth year as conductor. Avshalomov retired in 1995 after an estimated 640 concerts and 10,000 auditions. Huw Edwards , born in South Wales , moved with his parents to England and sang in choirs as a child. He witnessed his first opera, Giuseppe Verdi 's Un ballo in maschera , at eleven years old when his parents took him to

17556-505: The orchestra; she also assisted with sectional rehearsals , appointed a board of directors , and renamed the ensemble to the Portland Junior Symphony Orchestra in 1924. The original board of directors established the mission of the orchestra: "to encourage appreciation and rendition of orchestral music by young people, to give public symphonic and popular concerts, to discover and develop latent talent among

17710-604: The organization's history, the Portland Junior Symphony consisted of a full symphony orchestra, a choir , and a ballet unit. According to Wither Youth (1935), approximately 350 young artists participated in these groups each season (about 100 in the orchestra, 150 in the chorus, and 100 in the ballet). Membership was granted on "merit, ability, seriousness and interest", and there were no tuition fees for participation (this has since changed). Orchestra members were also encouraged to take private lessons. The minimum schedule for participants included two rehearsals during each week of

17864-577: The powerful Council of National Defense , where he set up the War Committee on Labor. After initially resisting taking a stance, the IWW became actively anti-war, engaging in strikes and speeches and suffering both legal and illegal suppression by federal and local governments as well as pro-war vigilantes. The IWW was branded as anarchic, socialist, unpatriotic, alien and funded by German gold, and violent attacks on members and offices would continue into

18018-923: The principal clarinet with the Cascade Music Festival Orchestra in Bend , the Key West Symphony Orchestra, the New Jersey Opera Theater, and the Princeton Symphony Orchestra. Hattner made his Oregon Symphony debut in January 2011. In addition to conducting and clarinet performance, Hattner has participated in live multimedia performances, accompanying silent films both nationally and internationally. PYP began offering Chamber Orchestra concerts during Hattner's tenure. Today,

18172-477: The problems that the British and other Allies had to solve on their home fronts. As a result, the level of confusion was high at first. Finally efficiency was achieved in 1918. The war came in the midst of the Progressive Era, when efficiency and expertise were highly valued. Therefore, the federal government set up a multitude of temporary agencies with 50,000 to 1,000,000 new employees to bring together

18326-636: The same period, Edwards left PYP in 2002 for a position with the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra , which he also held until 2005. Edwards was appointed music director of the Olympia Symphony Orchestra in 2003. Native to Taiwan , Mei-Ann Chen wanted to be a conductor from the age of ten. She began playing violin and piano starting at a young age and collected batons , believing that "different pieces needed different kinds of batons". In 1989, Chen attended

18480-596: The service, sharpened the politics of African American soldiers. Many returned home referring to themselves as the New Negro . These men experienced life without the restrictions of second-class citizenship, as French civilians treated them kindly when they went outside of the segregated military camps. Many returned home to America with a new fighting spirit, determined to earn expanded rights. This came with significant push back, however, as many white Americans pushed to return to 'normalcy' and saw African American soldiers as

18634-402: The stage after the concert to congratulate the musicians, Gershkovitch and Dodge, who was present and called to the stage. One reviewer for the Oregon Sunday Journal wrote the following day that the "audience that almost filled the auditorium to capacity broke into storm upon storm of applause". According to Ronald Russell, author of A New West to Explore (1938), the audience "had experienced

18788-608: The surface (but useless when the U-boats were under water). After submarines sank seven U.S. merchant ships, Wilson finally went to Congress calling for a declaration of war on the German Empire, which Congress voted on April 6, 1917. As a result of the Russian February Revolution in 1917, the Tsar abdicated and was replaced by a Russian Provisional Government. This helped overcome Wilson's reluctance to having

18942-535: The suspected German sabotage of Black Tom in Jersey City, New Jersey on 30 July 1916, and to the Kingsland explosion on 11 January 1917 in present-day Lyndhurst, New Jersey . Crucially, by the spring of 1917, President Wilson's official commitment to neutrality had finally unraveled. Wilson realized he needed to enter the war in order to shape the peace and implement his vision for a League of Nations at

19096-530: The symphony's continued viability. "To command attention, maintain discipline, and secure the maximum results he resorted to sarcasm, praise, ridicule, humor, flattery, scolding, dirty looks and the highest commendation—all in a quaint and very special brand of English. The children loved it, for it always had an element of the unexpected." Jacob Avshalomov , later the orchestra's conductor and music director, on Gershkovitch's style Gershkovitch, known for his discipline and high performance standards, conducted

19250-475: The upper hand in Europe, while the Ottoman Empire clung to its possessions in the Middle East . In the same year, the German Empire decided to resume unrestricted submarine warfare against any vessel approaching British waters; this attempt to starve Britain into surrender was balanced against the knowledge that it would almost certainly bring the United States into the war. The German Empire also made

19404-662: The war alongside the War Labor Policies Board, of which van Kleeck was also a member. After the war, the Women in Industry Service group developed into the U.S. Women's Bureau , headed by Mary Anderson . Crucial to U.S. participation was the extensive domestic propaganda campaign. On April 13, 1917, President Wilson issued Executive Order 2594 establishing the Committee on Public Information (CPI),

19558-576: The war represented the climax of the Progressive Era as it sought to bring reform and democracy to the world. There was substantial public opposition to U.S. entry into the war. The American entry into World War I came on April 6, 1917, after a year long effort by President Woodrow Wilson to get the United States into the war. Apart from an Anglophile element urging early support for the British , American public opinion sentiment for neutrality

19712-603: The war went on. Moreover, African American recruits faced various forms of mistreatment from white recruits. There were several cases of African American soldiers being verbally abused by white soldiers working or living in close proximity. In some cases physical abuse also occurred. Ely Green, a man who worked in a labor battalion in St. Nazaire, reported various events wherein African American men were assaulted and even murdered for breaking segregation laws that were enforced by

19866-681: The war. The propaganda campaign involved tens of thousands of government-selected community leaders delivering carefully scripted pro-war speeches at numerous public gatherings. In addition to government agencies, officially sanctioned private vigilante groups like the American Protective League closely monitored — and sometimes harassed — people who opposed American entry into the war or displayed too much German heritage. Propaganda took various forms, including newsreels , billboards, magazine and newspaper articles, and large-print posters designed by well-known illustrators of

20020-470: The war. The Boy Scouts of America helped distribute war pamphlets, helped sell war bonds, and helped to drive nationalism and support for the war. While the British blockade had already prevented America from directly trading with Germany, the US was a major source of imports for many neutral countries that were continuing to export food and other supplies to Germany. Through measures like the Trading with

20174-418: The world safe for democracy", and Congress voted to declare war on the German Empire on April 6, 1917 . On December 7, 1917, the U.S. declared war on Austria-Hungary . U.S. troops began arriving on the Western Front in large numbers in 1918. After the war began in 1914, the United States proclaimed a policy of neutrality despite President Woodrow Wilson's antipathies against the German Empire. When

20328-459: The world safe for democracy. In the general public, there was little if any support for entering the war on the side of the German Empire. The great majority of German Americans, as well as Scandinavian Americans , wanted the United States to remain neutral; however, at the outbreak of war, thousands of U.S. citizens had tried to enlist in the German army. The Irish Catholic community , based in

20482-401: The worst living conditions of all US soldiers due to racial segregation enforced by white officers. In the first couple of months after their arrival to Europe, many black soldiers reported that they had to sleep in tents on the dirt floors of barracks , eat outside, rather than in canteens, use makeshift outhouses, and wash themselves in makeshift bathrooms. Conditions did not improve much as

20636-484: The youth ensemble she had assembled. One orchestra member recalled: "I well remember the excitement of that night when Gershkovitch climbed the stairs to Mary Dodge's attic, where we had assembled to play for him. He listened as we played our hearts out. He applauded us and said that if we got the missing instruments, he would take us on." In an attempt to hand over the baton to Gershkovitch, he simply said to Dodge, "I take." Initially, Dodge remained as associate director of

20790-475: Was Aaron Avshalomov , the Siberian-born composer known for "oriental musical materials cast in western forms and media", and mother was from San Francisco. Jacob received musical instruction from his father at a young age. At age eight, Avshalomov visited Portland from China with his parents, who were guests of Gershkovitch for several months in 1927. Aaron Avshalomov had become friends with Gershkovitch in

20944-468: Was industrialist Henry Ford , who personally financed and led a peace ship to Europe to try to negotiate among the belligerents; no negotiations resulted. Britain had significant support among intellectuals and families with close ties to Britain. The most prominent leader was Samuel Insull of Chicago, a leading industrialist who had emigrated from England. Insull funded many propaganda efforts, and financed young Americans who wished to fight by joining

21098-923: Was a clarinet student of Robert Marcellus . Before joining PYP, he had conducted Camerata Atlantica, the Garden State Philharmonic Orchestra and the Oklahoma Chamber Ensemble, and guest-conducted the Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra , Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, Ensemble Sospeso, International Contemporary Ensemble and the Massapequa Philharmonic Orchestra. Hattner also participated in the American Academy of Conducting at Aspen three times, where he studied with Murry Sidlin and David Zinman . He has been

21252-442: Was a Russian conductor and musician who became the first music director of the Portland Junior Symphony (now known as the Portland Youth Philharmonic ), the first youth orchestra in the United States, based in Portland, Oregon . Born to a musical family in Irkutsk , Gershkovitch was sent to Saint Petersburg in his late teens to study at the Imperial Conservatory . In 1913, he graduated with honors in flute and conducting, and

21406-626: Was a common activity in the household. Gershkovitch was sent to Saint Petersburg in his late teens to study at the Imperial Conservatory . The 4,000-mile (6,400 km) journey took two weeks via the newly constructed Trans-Siberian Railway , and Gershkovitch arrived with "17 rubles in his pocket and his flute under his arm". He auditioned and was awarded a scholarship. There he learned from respected Russian composers such as Alexander Glazunov , Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Nikolai Tcherepnin , and completed coursework in opera and ballet production. To pay his own expenses, and to assist in paying

21560-505: Was achieved by every country except Russia. The American Federation of Labor (AFL) and affiliated trade unions were strong supporters of the war effort. Fear of disruptions to war production by labor radicals provided the AFL political leverage to gain recognition and mediation of labor disputes, often in favor of improvements for workers. They resisted strikes in favor of arbitration and wartime policy, and wages soared as near-full employment

21714-474: Was also responsible for adding a Preparatory Orchestra (later renamed the Conservatory Orchestra) due to increased membership. Gershkovitch tried to incorporate at least one American composition in each concert. He had a distinctive personality and way with words, using expressions (recollected in one former student's diary) such as "More nicely, can't you more?" and "Debussy is beauty, French beauty". For 25 years, David Campbell served as Master of Ceremonies for

21868-486: Was awarded a scholarship. At the Conservatory, he learned from respected Russian composers such as Alexander Glazunov , Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Nikolai Tcherepnin , and completed coursework in opera and ballet production. In 1913, he graduated with honors in flute and conducting, and was awarded the Schubert Scholarship for a year of study under German conductor Arthur Nikisch in Berlin . However, World War I forced Gershkovitch to return to Irkutsk and enlist in

22022-401: Was awarded the Schubert Scholarship for a year of study under German conductor Arthur Nikisch in Berlin . Gershkovitch returned to Irkutsk to enlist during World War I , and by 1916 he had become head of the Imperial Russian Army 's military symphony orchestra. He held this position through the Russian Revolution and thereafter, as concerts were often presented as benefits for orphans and

22176-617: Was deemed a success for all involved and established Christensen as "Portland's leading ballet teacher". Gershkovitch and Christensen collaborated at the Rose Festival the following year (1935), performing Coppélia twice to enthusiastic crowds. In 1998, PYP was the sole representative of the United States at the Banff International Festival of Youth Orchestras in Canada. The orchestra's Carnegie Hall debut

22330-400: Was educating the youth. Apart from music education, he stressed the importance of proper conduct, manners, and "values in life and art" in order to build character. Following Gershkovitch's death in 1953, guest conductors led the orchestra for its thirtieth season – one conductor was Jacob Avshalomov , a Columbia University teacher and PJS alumnus who had studied under Gershkovitch while

22484-463: Was here that Gershkovitch was approached by Mary Dodge and two of her students to lead the Portland Junior Symphony (PJS). He taught flute and conducted the Ellison-White Conservatory's student orchestra, at the time directed by Jacob Avshalomov , until the PJS duties required his full attention. To command attention, maintain discipline, and secure the maximum results he resorted to sarcasm, praise, ridicule, humor, flattery, scolding, dirty looks and

22638-573: Was in 2004. In October 2010, PYP returned to Burns, Oregon, to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the establishment of the Sagebrush Symphony. A special performance honored Mary Dodge, the history of the organization and music educators with music by Howard Hanson and Charles Ives . PJS made its first international tour to England, Italy and Portugal in 1970. Subsequent international tours included Japan in 1979; Austria and Yugoslavia in 1984; Austria, Czechoslovakia, Germany and Hungary in 1989; Japan and South Korea in 1992 and Germany in 1994. Prior to

22792-414: Was particularly strong among Irish Americans , German Americans and Scandinavian Americans , as well as among church leaders and among women in general. On the other hand, even before World War I had broken out, American opinion had been more negative toward the German Empire than towards any other country in Europe . Over time, especially after reports of atrocities in Belgium in 1914 and following

22946-414: Was presented the Sunburst Award by Young Audiences for her contribution to music education and was named "Educator of the Week" by KKCW . While conductor of the Philharmonic, Chen set up a box in her office so that students could leave notes for her. One musician in the orchestra felt that Chen was "kind of formal" during rehearsal but felt "like a big sister" once practice ended. Chen has been described as

23100-485: Was reached at the height of the war. The AFL unions strongly encouraged young men to enlist in the military, and fiercely opposed efforts to reduce recruiting and slow war production by pacifists, the anti-war Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) and radical socialists. To keep factories running smoothly, Wilson established the National War Labor Board in 1918, which forced management to negotiate with existing unions. Wilson also appointed AFL president Samuel Gompers to

23254-452: Was shortened due to World War I , and Gershkovitch returned to Irkutsk to enlist . In 1916, Gershkovitch became head of the Imperial Russian Army 's military symphony orchestra, a position he held through the Russian Revolution . Army duties continued after the war as concerts were often given as benefits for orphans and the Red Cross , and it was during this period that Gershkovitch met his future wife Lucia. Then an engineer working on

23408-416: Was touring throughout the Orient . Gershkovitch settled in Tokyo to lead the newly organized Tokyo Symphony Orchestra until the Great Kantō earthquake of 1923 "disorganized all the business and musical interests of the city". The couple fled Japan and arrived in San Francisco in November 1923. They eventually made their way to Portland in 1924; it was here that Gershkovitch was approached by Dodge to lead

23562-443: Was transferred there for work, but when his job fell through, the couple separated and Mary remained in Portland. Now a single woman, Dodge changed her name to Mary V. Dodge, with the "V" standing for "violin". She opened a violin school and became music director of the Irvington Grade School orchestra. With the hope of creating a permanent youth symphony, Dodge began hosting rehearsals in her attic. However, due to gender inequality in

23716-405: Was unfamiliar with the rapid evolution of aerial warfare . The Democrats in Congress tried to cut the military budget in 1915. The Preparedness movement effectively exploited the surge of outrage over the Lusitania in May 1915, forcing the Democrats to promise some improvements to the military and naval forces. Wilson, less fearful of the Navy, embraced a long-term building program designed to make

#54945