The Parnassus Club met on Feb. 14 at Sharon Jones residence. Nancy Converse, presided. Roma Murphy was introduced as guest at the meeting.
Plans were finalized on the piano and voice audition for March 3rd. In an addition to certificates and monetary awards, a medal on a ribbon was mentioned to use as a reward. Two medals will be purchased for the junior division. The words “Parnassus Club and date” will be engraved on the back of the medal. Entries for the audition are three for senior division and four for junior division. Volunteers will provide cookies and assist various stations. Cherie Miller will create awards to be given to contestants. Awards will be given in voice and piano division in the amount of $60 for 1st place, $40 for 2nd place and $20 for 3rd place.
Sharon Jones presented a program on Ira and George Gershwin. Ira was born in 1892 and died in 1983. George was born in 1898 and died in 1937. The family were immigrants from Russia. Ira was inclined to write the lyrics and George the music. George and Ira wrote Broadway songs. Together they wrote for more than twelve shows and four films. Some of their more famous works include “The Man I Love”, “Fascinating Rhythm”, “Someone to Watch Over Me”, “I Got Rhythm” and” They can’t Take That Away From Me”. Sharon played excerpts of their music showing a fast and syncopated rhythm. The opera “Porgy N Bess” was called one of his most ambitious compositions. He composed his first major classical work, “Rhapsody in Blue” for orchestra and piano which proved to be his most popular work. George died in 1937 of a brain tumor. Ira did not compose for three years after George’s death. He then began to write lyrics again. He teamed up with Jerome Kern
and Kurt Weill. He continued to write the lyrics for many film scores and a few Broadway shows.
The next meeting will be on March 13th. Coralie Button will host and Betty Keenan co-hostess.