Subject: RE: Correction
Date: Tue, 23 Jul 2002 09:31:48 -0500
From: "Byrkit, David -FWDC.CON" [David.Byrkit@itt.com]
To: "'Chuck Teeter'" ;All

Chuck:

I just finished reading Jerry Klein's book on the history of the PSO. He wrote it as part of the centennial celebration of the orchestra. I had not known that Peoria's orchestra is one of the twelve oldest orchestras in America. Actually, if you count the German "Kinder Symphony" Peoria would be in the top three (which would include Chicago and New York). All three of these old orchestras were created by German immigrants.

Elmer Szepsey was the director of the PSO for a year in the 1940s. Tom Neil (organist for 35 years at St. Mary's Cathedral and 20 years at First Federated Church) had told me of the Allen Cannon Elmer Szepsey chemistry. That was too bad; however, Bradley is given credit for inaugurating the PSO in 1897 and they were probably instrumental in seeing that Allen Cannon was made Concert Master. Certainly Allen had a national (if not international) reputation. In my musical travels in NYC the only Peoria musician known in New York was Allen Cannon. This could have been in the context of Bradley University.

As I read the book I thought about your dad's role in the orchestra and his many years. I'm pretty sure he was mentioned in the book (I don't have the book with me to check-but I will check and get the correct info to you). I enjoyed the book a great deal since I knew so many of the historical people mentioned in the history. Incidentally, Allen (or is it Alan?) Cannon is playing down the chairs in the orchestra. Allen/Alan is listed in the program as 57 years in the orchestra.

Jerry Klein's book is available at the Illinois Antique Center on Water Street in downtown Peoria.

David C. Byrkit MCSE + I, MCT
ph. (260) 451-6219/(309) 637-1283
cell (309) 453-4663
e-mail david.byrkit@itt.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Chuck Teeter [mailto:cmt1@attbi.com]
Sent: Tuesday, July 23, 2002 9:08 AM
To: 'Byrkit, David'; All
Subject: RE: Correction

Dave:

Yes, I remember orchestra very well. I played viola in it for four years. During the first three, if you recall, we had the pleasure of Betty Lee as concert master. Do you remember her? I think she was the top cheerleader and also homecoming queen of the class of 1961. She also played violin quite well. I continued the viola for a couple of years in college, but then gave it up. During the folk music period, I took up guitar, and I still play that on occasion. When I'm feeling nostalgic, I do miss the orchestra. Dave, do you remember that if you played a wind instrument of any kind, you could not participate in orchestra unless you first participated in band? I think that without that rule, the best players would have been only in the orchestra.

I took music lessorns from Elmer Szepsey for years. Of course, I haven't seen or heard anything about him for many, many years, so I wonder if he's still living. He was always in competition with Alan Cannon for recognition and position in Peoria musical society. Unfortunately, Cannon usually won. Elmer and my father were friends, since my dad played cello in the Peoria Symphony. I always thought it was a shame that bad feelings kept Elmer out of the PSO.

Kids seem to be interested in the team sports up here. Both of my kids, who went to high school in Naperville, participated at all the games......both were in the band. My son played trombone and my daughter trumpet. So we wound up going to a lot of games as well. The Naperville Central games were always a full house, so there was always a lot of interest in the teams, particularly football. Football continues to be a big thing in the Chicago area.

Chuck Teeter