ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, May 2, 1996 TAG: 9605030020
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: E-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CHRIS HENSON STAFF WRITER
"Eat a good breakfast," suggests Thursday Morning Music Club President Louise Strickler, "because you've only got a half an hour to eat lunch and you're going to want to listen to music all day long."
The club, in celebration of National Music Week, is sponsoring a day of live music Tuesday at Tanglewood Mall. Voices from around the Roanoke Valley will join in a celebration of song that Strickler believes will prove to be downright distracting.
Founded in 1908, the Thursday Morning Music Club is the oldest active civic organization in the valley. Its main objective is to create a broader appreciation of music while providing a social and educational organization for music lovers.
Its members do this primarily through the support they give to the area's promising young musicians and dancers. The organization supplies a venue for student recitals, and gives scholarships to college-bound performers.
At 10 a.m. on the first Thursday of every month, the organization of nearly 400 gets together for a program of sacred and secular music, hymns and Broadway melodies. Meanwhile, they plot the overall musification of the populace at large.
"Our monthly programs are wonderful," says Strickler. "Every year we always have the National Young Artist winner come to perform for us. This year was Alan Henderson, a baritone. He was marvelous."
National Music Week has been celebrated annually during the first week of May since 1923. The coordinated event is sponsored by the National Federation of Music Clubs, which each year chooses a theme for the week. This year's theme is "Music ... The World's Lifeline."
The event's founder, Charles Tremaine, calls Music Week a "suggestion, as contrasted with a superimposed project. Its strength comes from the universal, yet sometimes unconscious human need for music."
Locally, Jack Wimmer has been planning Tuesday's production, a duty he seems happy to perform. He spoke about the planned event at a recent club board meeting.
"We're going to have some just outstanding performers this year," he said. "At 2, Charlene is going to accompany the Rev. Frank Allen, who is the assistant priest at St. John's Episcopal Church. And I want you to know this man ... well, he's got an amazing voice. You won't believe it."
In addition, Wimmer has planned a dance recital, a flute ensemble, several full choruses, bands and choirs. "I believe we have a real nice setup," he says.
When he is through going over the schedule for the board, a woman in the audience stands to address the members: "I have to say, doesn't Jack have a beautiful speaking voice?"
There's applause as Wimmer scratches his head and says, "You're gonna get me started. I was all set to take my seat." These are all friends here, brought together by their love of music.
Later, Louise Strickler describes the membership. "There are some very professional musicians who are members," she says. "They give programs, and perform in churches. But, there are also a lot of members who simply love music." Strickler was a music teacher at Fairfax High School, and director of music at Belmont Presbyterian for 13 years.
Wimmer's love of music is easy to explain as well. "I've been singing in church choirs since I was 18 years old," he says. "That's about 60 years."
While a lot of the members are retirees, there are school-age junior club members as well. "We have the Harmonic Virtuoso Club, who are the high school-age students," says Strickler. "The Foot Notes are our dancers and the Whole Notes, those are the youngest."
In an awards recital being held today, the club will give out scholarships to promising young musicians ranging from $1,000 for college-bound music majors and $750 for music minors to $250 for students attending summer seminars and $100 cash awards. Sales of the club's "Noteworthy Cookbook," a fashion show and numerous contributions helped to build the largest scholarship total the club has ever awarded.
Esther Owen, the club member in charge of presenting the scholarships, says the club will give three $1,000 awards and one for $750 this year, as well as five for summer camps and several cash awards.
"We decided to give John Johnson $2,000," Owen said. "He is a truly exceptional organist." Johnson is a senior at William Byrd High School and plays organ at the Church of the Brethren on Williamson Road.
Throughout the years the Thursday Morning Music Club has been a leader in getting music organized in the Roanoke Valley. One of the club's first events, in 1916, was a concert series that featured Fritz Kreisler and the New York Philharmonic. In 1954 the club helped organize the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra. More recently, the club donated the Roanoke Civic Center's grand piano.
The Thursday Morning Music Club is busy this week, telling ministers and teachers all across the region to remember the importance that music, "The World's Lifeline," plays in everyday life. By encouraging young people with scholarships and open ears, these Thursday Morning friends are passing along a language and a legacy, the simple gift of music all year long.
National Music Week lasts from May 5 to 12, with the main event Tuesday's day-long celebration at Tanglewood Mall. The music may make you forget your lunch. But, thanks to the Thursday Morning Music Club, there will be plenty of food for the soul.
Mall music schedule
10:30 a.m. Child's World Chorus
11 a.m. Cave Spring Band
12:30 p.m. North Cross Half-Notes Chorus
1 p.m. Monterey Chorus
2 p.m. Frank Allen and Charlene Bishop
2:30 p.m. Caroloa Chorus
3 p.m. Frank Akers - pianist
3:30 p.m. Carolyn Via and her piano students
4 p.m. Students of Sally Ann Goff
4:30 p.m. Dance Recital
5:30 p.m. Men of TMMC
6 p.m. Fantasia Group Flute Ensemble
6:30 p.m. Southwest Virginia Ballet
7 p.m. TMMC Chorus
7:30 p.m. Virginia Gentleman
8 p.m. High Street Baptist Choir
LENGTH: Long : 119 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: PAUL NEWBY II/Staff. Thursday Morning Music Clubby CNBmainstays Jack Wimmer, who helped organize this year's musical
event, and Louise Strickler, the club's
president. color.