Regional Oral History Office University of California The Bancroft Library Berkeley, California Madi Bacon MUSICIAN, EDUCATOR, MOUNTAINEER With Introductions by Ernst Bacon Mary Lins William Duncan Allen Jules Eichorn An Interview Conducted by Janet G. Harris 1985-1987 Copyright (cj!989 by The Regents of the University of California MADT BACON 1988 Photograph by Arthur Bacon Oakland Tribune January 23, 2001 6-LOCAL THEOAKL; Founder of S.F. Boys Chorus, Madi dies in Bacon, Berkeley^j FROM STAFF REPORTS Miss Bacon was a graduate of An accomplished moun the University of Chicago. taineer, Miss Bacon was a BERKELEY Madi Bacon, member of the Sierra In 1 946 Miss Bacon- took Club founder of the San Francisqo a and a frequent participant in Chorus and a position at the Unlverslty of Boys longtime its hikes in the Sierra Nevada. Bay Area .music instructor, California, Berkeley, heading the Music died Jan. 10 in her Berkeley Extension Division. Miss Bacon is survived by home. She was 94. She, held the position for eight nieces, nephews, friends and then years, became conductor former students. She was pre Now in its 53rd year, the for the Extension Chorus. ceded in death by her Boys- Chorus performs in San- parents and four brothers . Brother Francisco Opera productions Taught conducting Ernst .Bacon was .a and at San Francisco Giants Pulitzer The also holds Prize-winning composer and games. group She also taught conducting concerts twice a Miss pianist who lived in San Fran year. at Holy Names College in Oak Bacon served as the cisco. Boys land and was a frequent lec Chorus conductor and music turer and board member for Memorial concert director until . 1972. local many music ; organiza tions. The group was the nation's A memorial concert will be first boys' repertory chorus held Feb. 24 at 3 p.m., Cal Known for fostering talent and rapidly expanded under vary Presbyterian Church, among her pupils. Miss Bacon Miss Bacon's direction from 2515 Fillmore St., San Fran is also remembered for ar an initial 25 members to more cisco. the purchase of UC than 100. The Boys Chorus ranging first for its also included a summer camp Berkeley's pianos. Donations in Miss Bacon's studios. She also so that intertwined music, ath practice memory may be made to the licited funds to letics and art. purchase Ernst Bacon Society at 6 Mal- music and keyboards for stu verna Road, Roslindale, MA Born in Chicago in 1906, dents in Nicaragua. 02131; Since 1954 the Regional Oral History Office has been interviewing leading participants in or well-placed witnesses to major events in the development of Northern California, the West, and the Nation. Oral history is a modern research technique involving an interviewee and an informed interviewer in spontaneous conversation. The taped record is transcribed, lightly edited for continuity and clarity, and reviewed by the interviewee. The resulting manuscript is typed in final form, indexed, bound with photographs and illustrative materials, and placed in The Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley, and other research collections for scholarly use. Because it is primary material, oral history is not intended to present the final, verified, or complete narrative of events. It is a spoken account, offered by the interviewee in response to questioning, and as such it is reflective, partisan, deeply involved, and irreplaceable. ************************************ All uses of this manuscript are covered by a legal agreement between the University of California and Madi Bacon, dated September 24, 1986. The manuscript is thereby made available for research purposes. All literary rights in the manuscript, including the right to publish, are reserved to The Bancroft Library of the University of California, Berkeley. No part of the manuscript may be quoted for publication without the written permission of the Director of The Bancroft Library of the University of California, Berkeley. Requests for permission to quote for publication should be addressed to the Regional Oral History Office, 486 Library, University of California, Berkeley 94720, and should include identification of the specific passages to be quoted, anticipated use of the passages, and identification of the user. The legal agreement with Madi Bacon requires that she be notified of the request and allowed thirty days in which to respond. It is recommended that this oral history be cited as follows: Madi Bacon, "Musician, Educator, Mountaineer," an oral history conducted from 1985-1987 by Janet G. Harris, Regional Oral History Office, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, 1989. Copy no . BACON, Madi (1906- ) Choral conductor Musician. Educator. Mountaineer. 1989, xii, 236 pp. Chicago: family background; music training; Hull House, art assistant, 1922; a Univ. of music school evolving theory of teaching voice ; MA, Chicago; director, Central YMCA College/Roosevelt Univ., 1941-1946. UC Berkeley: summer session, 1946; Extension music program, and chorus, 1948-1959; building a home. San Francisco Boys Chorus: beginnings; music camp and Sunday vespers; auditions; performances with Opera and Symphony; finances; individuals; repertoire. Sierra Club: high trips, 1939-1950; leaders. Comments on women in conducting, Calvin Simmons, Ernst Bacon, Albert Elkus , Kurt Herbert Adler, and others. Introductions Ernst William Duncan and Jules by Bacon, Mary Lins , Allen, Eichorn, Interviewed 1985-1987 by Janet G. Harris Acknowledgments The Bancroft Library, on behalf of future researchers, wishes to thank the following persons whose contributions made this oral history of Madi Bacon possible. Special thanks are due Dr. Steven Arnon and Mary Lins for their leadership in organizing the funding and Louise M. Davies and Marjory B. Farquhar for their very generous response. Mrs . Adams in Virginia , memory of Ansel Adams Mary Louise Ainsworth Brockenbrough S. and Diana W. L. Allen Joyce and Stephen S. Arnon, M.D. Alfons R. Bacon, M. D. and Dorothy Bacon Frank and Ann-Liv Bacon Caroline and Chuck Bacon William C. Balch Mr. and Mrs. Rainer F. Baldauf Mr. and Mrs. Robert Baldwin, Jr. William J. and Edith Doe Ballard N. Constance Beaty Sandra and Karl Bemesderfer Sue Bender Gus and Emily Benner Mr. and Mrs. Edward H. Bennett, Jr. Philip Brett Mrs. W. R. Bingham Phyllis V. Bosley Dyke Brown Sue Heath Brown Earl and June Che it Ross Cheit Barbara L. Chevalier John Clements and Margot Powers Clements Mr. and Mrs. R. A. Cockrell Fred and Steven Cohen Mr. and Mrs. Michael Conheim Buni Cooper Jean Altman Cosad Elizabeth Davidson Louise M. Davies Mildred Dickinson A. J. A. Dronkers J . J . Dronkers Marcelle Dronkers Dot and Jerry Edelstein Elizabeth Elkus Ray, Carol, Jennie, Cathy, and David Ellis Mrs . Armin Elmendorf J. H. England Warren W. and Avis A. Eukel Robert L. Fahrner Marjory B. Farquhar Margaret Farrell Clark Doris Fine Betsy Flack Jane H. Galante Charles R. Gamez John and Marianne Gerhart Gilbert H. Gleason Mr. and Mrs. Adolphus E. Graupner, Jr. Mafalda Guaraldi Shirley Haag Carl Ludwig & Norma Warren Hansen Ric and Janet Harnsberger David and Janet Heffner Patrick John Hethcoat Lane R. Hirabayshi, Ph.D. Robert L. and Barbara L. Huebel Sylvia Jenkins Mr. and Mrs. Sol Joseph Julius Kaufman Elinor Kefalas Selma and George Klett Brian Knapp A. C. Knight Michael Laschober Darrell K. Leong Peter M. D. and Benacerraf M. D. Libby, Beryl -Libby , Mary Lins Roy and Jennie C. Linstedt Mary Maehl Lucy and Sherman Maisel Ken Malucelli Elizabeth Lloyd Mayer Howard and Nancy Mel Lewis and Ruth Meyers Richard Miailovich The Music Department, UC Berkeley David Ostwald San Francisco Boys' Chorus James Schwabacher The Soule Foundation Marie Sparks James C. Steele Elizabeth S types Richard L. and Roselyne C. Swig Alice Taylor Ernst Weber TABLE OF CONTENTS -- Madi Bacon INTRODUCTION by Ernst Bacon i INTRODUCTION by Mary Lins iii INTRODUCTION by William Duncan Allen v INTRODUCTION by Jules Eichorn vi INTERVIEW HISTORY viii BRIEF BIOGRAPHY xii I FAMILY AND EARLY EDUCATION 1 von Rosthorn Relatives 1 Charles Sumner Bacon 9 At Home in Chicago 11 Trip to Europe, Summer of 1921 28 Hull House 36 University of Chicago, Undergraduate Years 41 Summer Camp Experience 47 Trip to Europe in 1927 50 II MUSICAL EDUCATION 52 Introduction to California in 1928 52 Study in New York in 1929 56 Return to Chicago 58 Evolving a Theory of Teaching Voice 62 Graduate Study at University of Chicago 67 Study at Tanglewood 73 III CONDUCTING, TEACHING, AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPERIENCE 75 Central YMCA College/Roosevelt University 75 Summer Session, University of California, Berkeley 79 University Extension Music Director, Music Department Lecturer 81 Courses for the Community 92 Extension Division Chorus: Performance versus Theory 94 Resignation from the University 101 IV SAN FRANCISCO BOYS CHORUS 102 Building a Chorus and a Home San Francisco Boys Chorus Singing with San Francisco Opera in Los Angeles Setting Up Summer Music Camp 116 Sunday Vesper Service Aims of Chorus Program Training Young Voices Performance Demands 144 Audition Requirements 147 Performances with San Francisco Opera and Symphony 149 Vienna Boys Choir and San Francisco Boys Chorus 157 Chorus Finances 159 Working with Children and Adults 166 Individual Choristers 168 Compositions Created for San Francisco Boys Chorus 171 Repertoire Sung from Memory 174 V SIERRA CLUB EXPERIENCES 176 High Trips 1939-1950 176 Mountain Climbing/Friendship with Norman Clyde 183 Foreign Travel with the Sierra Club 191 Friendship with Dorothy Erskine 193 Benefits of Sierra Club Membership 196 VI AN ACTIVE RETIREMENT 198 International Travel 198 Teaching Voice Students 200 Opportunities for Women Conductors 204 Reflections on Growing Older 208 Summing Up a Lifetime 212 APPENDIX 215 INDEX 235 INTRODUCTION by Ernst Bacon "A Musician and Sister Observed" The arrival on the scene of Madi Bacon fulfilled my mother's long for a after she had borne four sons one of whom died in hope daughter , infancy.