MU AS PIuCblic aHtionA Of LThLe S oMcietya rks For The Preservation Of Music Hall 1241 Elm Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 2011 Spring Issue 1 MUSIC HALL Marks MUSIC HALL Marks 2 SPMH BOARD of Directors 2011 SpringS isP heMre!!!H Ev e-ry sPearsoen sidaeren “stw’sin gMing ientsos saprgineg” as well. President Joel Ebersole Victoria Morgan of the year is wonderful and beauti - Our new colorful posters are turn - Donald Siekmann Marge Hammelrath - Cincinnati Ballet ful, yet we most eagerly await the ing heads throughout Music Hall, Barbara Harshman Laure Quinlivan coming of spring. It’s a time of and, we recently helped fund a Immediate Past President William Henrich - City of Cincinnati awakening with a foretaste of what Music Hall Gift Shop improvement. Norma Petersen Mary Ellyn Hutton Steven Sunderman is to come -- many more sunlight Also, on May 5th, we will present Peter Koenig - Cincinnati May hours, warmer weather, “On Broadway with the Vice Presidents Walter E. Langsam Festival vacations, convertibles, Mighty Wurlitzer” in the Joanne Grueter Ramon Rodriguez picnics, wow! -- hard to Ballroom. This follows Kathy Janson Eugene Saenger, Jr. stop the list…! Here at our sold-out December Honorary Director Mace Justice Alan Sakalas Music Hall, wonderful debut of the series. Claire Phillips Ed Rider Rosemary Schlachter things also happen in Please plan to attend; I John Senhauser Life Members every season of the promise you will enjoy Recording Secretary Kathryn W. Shahani Louise Dieterle Nippert year, and, this “eagerly the evening! Karen McKim Sue Sommer Joyce Van Wye, awaited” spring brings Lastly, for your Norman Thomas Co-Founder even more “can’t-miss” “save the date” list, we Corresponding Secretary Sallie Wadsworth events and previews of are planning our SPMH Marcella Hsiung Don Siekmann Nancy Wagner what is to come. Annual Member Meet - Past Presidents Treasurer Ronald Wehmeier First, there are just a few more ing for September 26th in the Marlene Johnson Mark Weadick Stacey Woolley opportunities to see Paavo Jarvi in Music Hall Ballroom. Once again Joyce Van Wye his final concerts as Music Director we will feature an executive update Directors Ex Officio Directors of the CSO. Among them are a of the Music Hall Revitalization Music Hall Liaison Lisa Allison Patty Beggs long awaited appearance by Yo-Yo Project. If you are not already an Scott Santangelo Barbara Boyd - Cincinnati Opera Ma on May 3rd and, concluding the SPMH member, please become Maureen Dillon Trey Devey season on May 14th, Paavo’s one; simply use the enclosed Meredith Downton - Cincinnati Symphony Farewell Finale with Mahler’s epic membership envelope and then Orchestra Symphony No.5 . Then, the May join us in September. Festival “Sings-Out” with two out - On a truly sad note we have standing weekends, starting with all lost our friend, and fellow board Table of Contents Verdi’s Requiem , on May 20th, and member, Bob Howes, to a terrible page 1 What’s Happening Now at ending with Mendelssohn’s Elijah cancer. Bob was a dedicated, tal - SPMH President’s Message . Music Hall . page 13 on May 28th. Finally, the Cincinnati ented and passionate friend to so SPMH 2011 Board . .. page 2 page 14 Opera’s season is just over the many. A tribute is included in this Bob Howes . page 3 I Remember When. horizon with a mixture of classic Newsletter as well as on the SPMH SPMH Mission Statement . page 4 A Music Hall Memory . page 21 and modern blockbusters. The ex - website. Take a Tour, Become a Guide. page 5 Music Hall Has it All . page 23 citement begins on June 16th with Thanks again to all our SPMH High Notes! . page 6 May 5th “On Broadway”. page 24 an all time favorite…….Giuseppe members and supporters. We wish Washington Park . .. page 7 SPMH Donors . page 26 Verdi’s Rigoletto . Great things are you a joyful spring, and, I look for - Revitalization Circa 1939 . page 9 Joanne Honschopp Bio . page 30 happening in Music Hall this ward to seeing you in Music Hall! Acknowledgements. page 30 spring! - Don Siekmann “Happy Holidays with the page 10 Certainly, we here at SPMH Mighty Wurlitzer”. 3 MUSIC HALL Marks MUSIC HALL Marks 4 tioning of the Orchestra on the actly right, that our Mission as it re - Bob Howes 1951-2011 stage. “The goal is to get the entire lates to the Preservation of our As a Vice President of The So - and construction companies. orchestra into the Music Hall be clearly ciety for the Preservation of Music In all his studies of early Music house with the audi - understood by every - Hall, Bob’s dedication to the organ - Hall documents he sought to un - ence, allowing the au - one. ization was exemplary and his con - derstand Hannaford’s original in - dience to be more of a Bob was passion - tributions extensive. tent for the structure part of the performance ate about music, about He was Founder and as well as to gain an so that concerts will be Music Hall and about Chair of the SPMH understanding of all more a shared and inti - SPMH. He put his best Archives Committee successive major mate experience.” effort into every under - which he later re - work on the building. In all of his efforts taking and he is and named the Historical This wealth of knowl - for Music Hall and for will be missed by his Committee. In 2003 edge is of importance SPMH, Bob’s intense friends and colleagues. he spearheaded the in the current Revital - desire for knowledge, A Memorial Service cel - Music Hall Archives ization plan of Music understanding and Bob Howes ebrating his life was Exhibit, an ongoing Bob Howes portraying Reuben Springer Hall. As a CSO musi - clarity is so evident. held in Music Hall on display of Music Hall cian (the longest- This was never more apparent to February 27th. For a more in-depth historical items, inside the Hall in serving member of the viola me than when he phoned one look at Bob’s life see Joanne partnership with the Cincinnati His - section), and member of the Work - evening to discuss his work on the Grueter‘s tribute at torical Society. In his capacity as ing Group, he provided invaluable new wording of the SPMH Mission www.spmhcincinnati.org Chair, he researched and then dis - insights to theatre and other con - Statement. He was most con - - Kathy Janson cussed with Cincinnati City Council sultants. cerned that we get the wording ex - members official documents relat - Bob was a member of the ing to the owner - SPMH advisory committee of SPMH MISSION STATEMENT ship and Music Hall experts which assisted The mission of The Society for the Preservation of Music Hall manage - WCET in producing the 2005 docu - is to preserve, promote, improve, and provide education about Music Hall, ment of mentary Music Hall: Cincinnati funding special projects in addition to Music Hall management’s operational Music Hall Finds its Voice . In a section of the and maintenance obligations, and facilitating communications among in order to historical dramatization, he used Music Hall management, owner, and tenants, in order to perpetuate Music come to a his acting talents in portraying Hall as the premier cultural center of the Region, and as a common un - Reuben Springer. National Historic Landmark of international significance. derstanding He believed that all concert of the complex halls have a personality and that territory that is Music Hall’s personality is one of Music Hall. inclusion. “It was built for the citi - Give the gift of History Emphasizing the zens of Cincinnati and this is what close involve - makes Music Hall what it is spiritu - Purchase Music Hall: ment of the City in ally, it has that very friendly, open, former renovations, he welcoming quality” he said. Conse - “Cincinnati Finds its Voice” shared with Council quently his research concerning members informa - the two prosceniums of Music Hall DVD or VHS tion about contracts emphasized the spirit of inclusion Bob Howes with architects and his work resulted in the reposi - call (513) 744-3293 5 MUSIC HALL Marks MUSIC HALL Marks 6 visit Music Hall at night. They set town visitors, regularly tour Music Take a Tour, Become a Guide up cameras and audio equipment Hall. Lunches can be arranged in The Society for the Preserva - prised to learn that Music Hall con - in one or more locations, in order conjunction with tours. To schedule tion of Music Hall has been spon - sists of three separate buildings: to monitor Music Hall’s spirits! a tour for a group of ten or more on soring tours for many years. The the central Springer Auditorium, the Groups from schools, groups non-concert days, call 744-3344. founders of the Society and the North Hall and the South Hall. from social clubs and retirement To schedule a pre-concert tour call concert goers, who had experi - Guides enjoy describing how each living, as well as groups of out of 744-3331. - Mace Justice enced the beauty of the Hall, were of the buildings evolved from 1878 motivated to pass to the present. The on this love of North Hall first ex - Congratulations to JoanHne igh NA ofutlle psa! ge photo of the Mighty Music Hall and its hibited Cincinnati Grueter for her fine work in getting Wurlitzer installed in the Ballroom history to others. machinery, then it the new website up and running! graces the Journal’s cover. Ron’s The first guides became a sports This fabulous tool increases the excellent article details the history read books and ar - arena, and today it visibility of of the ticles and inter - houses the Opera SPMH and Mighty viewed Music Hall offices and the offers a Wurlitzer personnel to pre - paint and carpentry higher level from 1927 pare a ‘fact sheet’ shops.