Courtesy of Ethel Stark; Photo: William Notman & Son Ltd.
In 1940, the year in which Quebec women finally obtained the right to vote, one of their number,
a musician by the name of Ethel Stark, also gave them access to the symphonic orchestral stage
by founding the Montreal Women's Symphony. Having received her training under conductors
Artur Rodzinski and Fritz Reiner at the Curtis Institute in Philadephia, Stark was a capable
conductor of the 80-woman ensemble. On October 22, 1947, they performed at the renowned
Carnegie Hall in New York-the first Canadian symphony orchestra to achieve this. Although
denied even the most basic financial assistance, the Montreal Women's Symphony continued to
perform until the late 1960s.
Ethel Stark's talent also attracted the attention of orchestras overseas. She has been guest
conductor with, among others, Kol-Israel in Jerusalem (1952, 1962), Tokyo Asahi and Hoso
Kyokai Nippon (1960), and Miami (1957, 1958, 1962).
A student of Lea Luboshutz and Carl Flesh, Ethel Stark matched her orchestral
conducting with a brilliant career as a violinist. In 1934 she was the first Canadian woman to
perform as soloist in a program broadcast in the United States, playing Tchaikovsky's Concerto
with the Curtis Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Fritz Reiner. She also performed
numerous Canadian works, including one dedicated to her, the Fantasy for Violin and Piano by
Violet Archer.
Ethel Stark's interest in violin teaching methods led her to devote considerable time to research
and teaching. Among the institutions where she has taught are the Catholic University of
America in Washington, D.C. (1951), the Conservatoire de musique du Québec in Montreal
(1952-1963) and Concordia University (1974-1975).
The many years of effort marking Ethel Stark's exceptional career have earned her several prizes
and honours, including the Order of Canada (1979), an honorary doctorate from Concordia
University (1980) and the Commemorative Medal for the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation
of Canada (1992).
Kivi, Linda K. -- Canadian women making music. -- Toronto : Green Dragon Press, 1992.
-- 134 p. -- ISBN 0969195583
Rooney, Frances. -- "The Montreal women's symphony". -- Atlantis. -- Vol. 5, no. 1
(1979). -- ISSN 07027818. -- P. 70-82
You can listen to an excerpt of Aufforderung Zum Tanz, Op. 65 (882K) by Carl Maria
von Weber with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra conducted by Ethel Stark for the
Simpson's Pop Concert Hour on CBC Radio. It was recorded in
1946. (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, ©1946)
Previous | Next
|
Ethel Stark