By Donna Thornton/News Editor
The Gadsden Music Club has fostered music education in local schools for almost a century and will continue to do so – now from a different location.
The Gadsden Music Club now meets at 10 a.m. on the second Wednesday of each month at the Music Center at Temple Beth Israel at 761 Chestnut Street in Gadsden.
The music club hopes to grow in membership. Club President Carol Larkins said people do not have to be musicians or singers to attend – and to enjoy – the music club’s monthly programs. The only requirement is an appreciation of music.
Members of the music club have more on their agenda than enjoying musical performances and learning more about great composers. Larkins, Yancy and Emery said the club continues to be a supporter of music education in schools and music instruction for individuals.
The club presents scholarships for young musicians and highlights the performances of students taught by the music teachers among their membership. Recently the Gadsden club awarded two scholarships, and nationally, music clubs give thousands of dollars in scholarships for music students. The Gadsden Music Club has three federated junior clubs that participate in the Hymn Festival each year in November and the Piano Solo Festival in February. Many of the young members of these clubs perform at the state convention and for the local club.
The club is a member of the state and national federations of music clubs.
The club’s next meeting will be Oct. 9. It will feature a profile of Giacomo Puccini presented by Sharron Yancy and Brenda Emery.
Emery plans to dress in costume as Madame Butterfly, and she will sing Puccini’s “O Mio Babbino Caro.”
Many of the Gadsden Music Club members are involved in local music organizations. Currently club members serve as performers, board members and patrons of such community music groups as the Gadsden Symphony Orchestra, Etowah Youth Orchestra, Gadsden Community chorus, Theater of Gadsden, ART, and music outreach programs that take music into assisted and long-term care facilities and the Smeltzer Educational Center.
Many club members serve as church choir directors, organists, accompanists, piano teachers and performers.
For more information about the Gadsden Music Club, call club president Carol Larkins at 256-546-2237.