Alaska Festival of Music records

Guide to the Anchorage Festival of Music records
1955-2007, 2019

Collection number: HMC-0010.
Creator: Anchorage Festival of Music.
Title: Anchorage Festival of Music records.
Dates: 1955-2007, 2019.
Volume of collection: 11.4 cubic feet.
Language of materials: Collection materials are in English.
Collection summary: Records of an organization established to promote music in Alaska.

Organizational history:
The Anchorage Festival of Music came into existence in 1956 when Mary Hale of Anchorage collaborated with others in the local music community to put on concerts featuring local musicians alongside visiting artists. Among those invited to the area were Robert Shaw, Julius Hereford, John Westman, and Robert Gerle. Mary Hale was the Executive Director of the Festival until 1962. Julius Hereford served as co-director from 1956 to 1963. In addition to Robert Shaw, the Festival has been directed by others including Alan Lennom, Robert Fountain, and Donald Johanos. On at least four occasions in its musical history, the Festivals featured the first performance of a musical composition. The name was changed to Alaska Festival of Music by 1960 and returned to Anchorage Festival of Music in 1986 when the organization merged with the Basically Bach Festival. The Anchorage Festival of Music often holds its concerts in non-traditional venues.

Collection description:
This collection consists of administrative and operational records documenting the history of the Alaska Festival of Music. Included are the Board of Directors files; records of the Basically Bach Festival, subject files, grant files, annual accounting reports, programs, scrapbooks, and recordings of performances, photographs and sheet music.

Arrangement: The collection is arranged into 10 series:

Series 1: Board of Directors files; 1955-2003
Series 2: Basically Bach Festival records; 1977-1989
Series 3: Subject files; 1956-2001
Series 4: Grant files; 1961-1969
Series 5: Annual accounting reports; 1957-1975
Series 6: Programs; 1956-2007
Series 7: Scrapbooks; 1955-1975
Series 8: Audiovisual recordings; 1956-1974
Series 9: Photographs; 1956-1975, 1999
Series 10: Sheet music; undated

Digitized copies: Digital copies of collection material not available online. For information about obtaining digital copies, please contact Archives and Special Collections.

Rights note: The Anchorage Festival of Music holds copyright to materials created by the organization. Other materials in the collection may be subject to copyright restrictions.

Preferred citation: Anchorage Festival of Music records, Archives and Special Collections, Consortium Library, University of Alaska Anchorage.

Works used in preparation of inventory:
Anchorage Festival of Music. “About AFM.” https://www.anchoragefestivalofmusic.org/about-afm/

Related materials: For information about additional collections related to the performing arts in Alaska, see our performing arts collections topic guide. https://libguides.consortiumlibrary.org/ASCperformingartscollections

Acquisition note: The Festival began depositing materials with the Archives in 1981.

Processing information: This collection was initially arranged and described prior to 1987. The guide was updated to current standards by Arlene Schmuland in 2014. Additional materials were added to the collection by Gwen Higgins in 2022.

Container list:

Series 1: Board of Directors files; 1955-2003. 1.65 cubic feet. This series contains documents pertaining to the activities of members of the board of directors of the Anchorage Festival of Music, including meeting minutes, annual reports, financial documents, festival planning materials, and correspondence.

Box/
Folder		 Description Dates
1/1 Organizational notes and minutes 1955-1956
1/2 Minutes 1956-1958
1/3-9 Annual reports and minutes 1958-1965
1/10 Minutes 1965-1966
1/11-12 Annual reports 1966-1967
1/13 Minutes and annual report 1967-1968
1/14 Minutes 1968-1969
1/15 Annual report 1969
1/16 Minutes 1969-1970
1/17 Annual report 1970
1/18 Minutes 1971-1972
1/19 Annual report 1971
1/20-22 Minutes 1972-1976
1/23 Annual report 1976
1/24 Annual report and minutes 1977-1978
1/25-26 Minutes 1978-1980
2/1 Board minutes and administrative files (Includes some Basically Bach material) 1987-1988
2/2 Correspondence 1989
2/3 Financial documents 1989
2/4 Financial documents 1989-1991
2/5 Program documents 1990
2/6 Board member handbook 1990-1994
2/7 Board meeting agendas and minutes 1990-1991
2/8 Board meeting agendas and minutes 1992
2/9 Board minutes, financial reports, and correspondence 1993
2/10 Financial documents 1993-1998
2/11 Board meeting minutes, correspondence, and financial documents 1994
2/12 Board meeting minutes, correspondence, and financial documents 1995
2/13 General planning notebook 1996-1997
2/14 Board book (meeting minutes, budget, season schedule, 1997
2/15 1997 General (correspondence, newsletter, season program draft) 1997
2/16 Budget report 1997
2/17 Corporate solicitation 1997
2/18 Steven Alvarez contract 1997 August 12
2/19-20 FY 1998 Board meetings 1998
2/21 Planning documents 1998
2/22 Budget FY98/FY99 1998-1999
2/23 Correspondence 1995-1999
2/24 Administrative files (correspondence, contract, meeting minutes) 1999
2/25 Steven Alvarez contract 2000
2/26 AFM 2000 (board roster, meeting minutes, finances, festival planning, correspondence) 2000
2/27 Board meeting agenda 2001 January 17
2/28 Financial documents 2002
2/29 2003 Planning 2001-2003
2/30 Board of Directors responsibilities and expectations undated

Series 2: Basically Bach Festival records; 1977-1989. 0.35 cubic feet. This series consists of records pertaining to the Basically Bach festival, which ran from 1978 until it merged with the Alaska Festival of Music and returned to being called the Anchorage Festival Music in 1986.

Box/
Folder		 Description Dates
2/31 BB-multiple years general (articles of incorporation, bylaws, fundraising) 1977-1983
2/32 BB 81-82 meetings (board of directors meeting agendas and minutes, committee assignments) 1981-1982
2/33 BB 82-83 meetings (agendas, minutes, financial report) 1982-1983
2/34 Basically Bach 1982-83 general (publicity outline, donor list, correspondence, press release, program copy, grant application) 1982-1983
2/35 BB-82-83 financial 1982-1983
2/36 BB-1983 festival (press release, meeting minutes, agenda, budget) 1982-1983
2/37 BB-1983-84 general (Municipality of Anchorage funding requests) 1983-1984
2/38 BB-1985-financial 1985
2/39 BB-1985 general (press releases) 1985
2/40 BB-1986-87 General (musician headshots, notes, program drafts, press releases) 1986
2/41 BB-1986 visit of Malcolm Bilson 1986
2/42 BB-86-87 general (correspondence, fundraising workshop material, press releases, notes, advertising 1986
2/43 Basically Bach 1988 financial 1987-1988
2/44 Basically Bach check register 1978-1983
2/45 BB-1988-General (correspondence) 1988
2/46 Basically Bach reports and forms (some Anchorage Festival of Music) 1978-1990
2/47 Basically Bach correspondence 1987-1989

Series 3: Subject files; 1956-2001. 0.3 cubic feet. This series consists of files related to the planning and promotion of individual concerts, specific administrative issues, surveys, and correspondence with individuals and organizations.

Box/
Folder		 Description Dates
3/1 Alaska Center for the Performing Arts resident status 1999
3/2 Amahl clippings and program 1966
12/1 Awards 1961, 1975
3/3 BP Exploration support letters 1994-2000
3/4 Conservatory concert 1999
3/5 Forever Plaid 1999
3/6 Heller, Ehrman, White & McAuliffe office space 1998
3/7 Intern 1999
3/8 Julius Herford correspondence 1956-1965
3/9 Donald Johanos photographs, clippings, and publicity materials undated
3/10 John Price Jones Co. survey excerpts circa 1961
3/11 July 5th “Pops” 1998
3/12 Ken Flynn Advertising survey 1989
3/13 Lorraine Koranda correspondence, clippings, photographs and publications undated
3/14 MAPCO 1997-1998
3/15 Marathon Oil 1991-2000
3/16 Midnight Sun Brewing Co. Alaska Festival of Music menu 2001 June 10
3/17 National Bank of Alaska 1997-2000
3/18 NorthStar Chamber Ensemble 1996
3/19 Northrim Bank 1998-2000
3/20 Juliana Osinchuk 2000
3/21 Program drafts undated
3/22 Publicity 1967, 1981
3/23 Out Reach Concert 2000-2001
3/24 Railroad application 2003
3/25 Schedule of events undated
3/26 Summer 2000 2000
3/27 Survey 2000-2001
3/28 Williams funding application 2003
3/29 YAA Award applicants 2000-2001

Series 4: Grant files; 1961-1969. 0.1 cubic feet. This series consists of information on grants applied for by the organization early in its history. Later grant information may be found in Series 1.

Box/
Folder		 Description Dates
3/30-32 Loussac Foundation Grant for Eskimo Research 1961-1964
3/33 Grants 1964-1969
3/34-35 Sears Scholars records 1965-1966

Series 5: Annual accounting reports; 1957-1975. 0.3 cubic feet. This series consists of annual financial reports from the festival’s early years. Financial records for later years may be found in Series 1.

Box/
Folder		 Description Dates
3/36 Auditors’ report (including 1956) 1957 November 7
3/37 Auditors’ report 1958 November 7
3/38 Annual report 1959 October 31
3/39 Annual report 1960 October 31
3/40 Annual report 1961 October 31
3/41 Accountants’ report 1962 October 31
3/42 Accountants’ report 1963 October 31
3/43 Accountants’ report 1964 October 31
3/44 Accountants’ report 1965 October 31
3/45 Accountants’ report 1966 October 31
3/46 Accountants’ report 1967 October 31
3/47 Accountants’ report 1968 October 31
3/48 Accountants’ report 1969 October 31
3/49 Auditor’s report 1971 October 31
3/50 Auditor’s report with supplementary information. Ten months ended August 31, 1972 1972 August 31
3/51 Auditors’ report with supplementary information 1973 August 31
3/52 Auditors’ report with supplementary information 1974 August 31
3/53 Accountants’ report with supplementary data 1975 August 31

Series 6: Programs; 1956-2007, 2019. 0.5 cubic feet. This series includes programs from the Alaska Festival of Music, Art-i-gras, the Festival of Native Arts, the Anchorage Festival of Music, and the Crystal Ball. This may not be a comprehensive set of programs. The programs are generally grouped by organization and arranged chronologically within.

Box/
Folder		 Description Dates
3/54-78 Festival of Music programs 1956-1984
4/1-4 Festival of Music programs 1989-2007, 2019
4/5-7 Art-i-gras programs 1973-1975
4/8-10 Festival of Native Arts programs 1968-1971
4/11 Alaska Festival of Music “Meet the Artists” Brunch programs

1972
12/2 Crystal Ball invitation and program undated, 1963 and 1965

Series 7: Scrapbooks; 1955-1975. 4.2 cubic feet. This series consists of scrapbooks containing newspaper clipping, programs, correspondence, and photographs.

Box Description Dates
6 Scrapbook 1955-1958
4 Scrapbooks 1959-1962
5 Scrapbooks 1962-1966
6 Scrapbooks 1967-1975

Series 8: Audiovisual recordings 1956-1974. 2.6 cubic feet. Arranged by media type, generally chronologically within. Boxes 7 and 8 contain phonograph albums, the rest are primarily reel-to-reel audio tapes, along with one 16 mm film and one U-Matic videocassette.

Box/
Item		 Description Dates
7/1-6 Requiem Mass in D 1956
7/7-12 Concerto in A Major 1956
8/1 The Passion According to St. John 1957
8/2-3 A German Requiem undated
8/4 All-America City Award Ceremony 1957
8/5-6 East High School Symphonic Band 1962-1963
8/7 Alaska Sings: Anchorage Community Chorus and Traditional Songs Sung by Alaskan Eskimos 1966
8/8 Alaskan Eskimo Songs and Stories Compiled and recorded by Lorraine Donoghue Koranda, with accompanying book signed by the author and the illustrator, Robert Mayokok 1972
9/1 Amahl and the Night Visitors 1958
9/2 Symphony of Psalms – Director Robert Shaw 1959
9/3 University of Alaska Choir of the North 1960
9/4 Alto Rhapsody/Choral Fantasy 1960
9/5-6 Westwood Wind Quintet 1961
9/7 Sara Endich 1961
9/8 Poulenc – Gloria (Evelyn Mondac) 1964
9/9 Schubert Symphony 6 1964
9/10 Barber Opus F 1964
9/11-12 Beethoven Piano Concerto 1964
9/13-15 Schubert Mass in E 1964
9/16-17 Poulenc’s Gloria 1964
9/18-19 Orchestra Concert 1965
9/20-21 Verdi Requiem 1965
9/22 Te Deum (Chicago Symphony) 1965
9/23-24 Orff’s Carmina Burana 1966
9/25-26 Festival Orchestra 1966
9/27 Brandenburg Concerto #5 1967
9/28-29 Beethoven’s 9th Symphony 1967
9/30-31 War Requiem 1967
9/32-35 Anchorage Community Chorus 1969-1970
10/1 Festival Ballet Orchestra: Gluck-Mottl – Ballet Suite, Debussy – Le Plus Que Lente, Rodrigo – Concerto de Aranjuez, Tchaikovsky – Sleeping Beauty, Kabalevsky – The Comedians, Gounod – La Kermesse 1972
10/2 Paul Horn Quintet 1972
10/3 Gary Smart, piano: Tchaikovsky – Dumka, Rachmaninoff – Three Etudes Tableux, Mussorgsky Pictures, Scriabin – Sonata #5, Prokofieff – Romeo and Juliet, Stravinsky – Petrouchka 1972
10/4 Shaw, Becket: traditional American ballads and songs 1972
10/6 Unidentified 1972
10/7 Festival Orchestra, Chorus and Boys’ Choir. Robert Shaw conducting 1972
10/8 Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra: Stravinsky – Concerto in E-Flat, Bach Concerto in D Minor for Violin and Oboe, Smart Del Diaro De un Papagayo, Mozart Symphony #40 1973
10/9 Gary Smart, Piano: Stravinsky – Piano Rag Music, Mendelssohn – Variations Serieuses, Beethoven – Sonata in C Major, Debussy – Suite Bergamasque, Picasso music, Albeniz – Iberia 1973
10/10 David Craighead, Organ: Vivaldi – Concerto in A Minor, Buxtehude – Chorale Fantasie, Mozart – Andante in F Major, Bach – Prelude and Fugue in D Major 1973
10/11 Capital String Quartet: Copland – Violin Sonata, Ives – Anti-Abolitionist Riots, Ives – Some Southpaw Pitching, Schubert – Quintet in A Major 1973
10/12 Festival Orchestra: Ives – Decoration Day, Bartok – Piano Concerto #3, Tchaikovsky – Symphony #6 1973
10/13 Saint Paul Chamber orchestra: Ives – Set For Theater Orchestra, Boccherini – Sinfonia in D Minor, Mozart Flute Concerto #1, Poulenc Concerto in G Major For Organ 1973
10/14 Brescian String Quartet: Mozart – String Quartet #2, Webern – Six Bagatelles, Beethoven – Quartet in P Minor 1973
10/15 Festival Orchestra and Chorus, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis in D Major 1973
10/16 PDQ Bach with Peter Schickele 1974
10/17 Youth Night at the Festival and New Madrigal Singers 1974
10/18 Vocal Recital 1974
10/19 Festival Orchestra and Chorus: Orff Carmina Burana, Verdi Vespri Siciliani Overture, Mozart Concerto #3 in E Flat Major 1974
10/20 Gil Melle Electronic Jazz Quartet 1974
10/21 Festival Orchestra: Prokofieff – Romeo and Juliet, Bach – Violin Concerto #2 in E Major, Huggler Elegy, Schubert Rondo in A Major, Elgar – Enigma Variations 1974
10/22 Gary and Marilyn Smart: Beethoven – Sonata in C Minor, Smart – English Lyrics, Ravel – Sonatine, Strauss – Four Last Songs, Beethoven – Sonata in E Flat Major 1974
10/23 Fest. film ’59. Fred Machetanz’s film. (16 mm film) 1959
10/24 Golden Lion Raw Tape A-U-Matic videocassette undated

Series 9: Photographs; 1956-1975, 1999. 1.2 cubic feet. The photographs consist of primarily black and white prints, along with some proof sheets and negatives.

Box/
Folder		 Description Date
11/1 Alaska Native Arts Festival & Sears Scholar Program undated, 1963-1970
11/2 Celentono, John undated, 1968
11/3 Dance – Anchorage Civic Ballet and guest artists (also unidentified dance photos) undated, 1968, 1974
11/4-5 Festival Chorus and Orchestra group photographs undated, 1959-1970
12/3 Festival Chorus and Orchestra group photos  
11/6-7 Guest artists: promotional photographs undated, 1972-1975
11/8-9 Robert Shaw undated, 1956-1972
11/10 Elvera Voth undated, 1963
11/11 Ward Wells and Anchorage Times photos undated; 1959-1970
11/12 Artists for 1999 series 1999
11/13-14 Identified photographs undated, 1962-1970
11/15-21 Unidentified photographs undated
12/4 Unidentified oversize photographs undated
11/22-23 Proof/contact sheets Alaska Festival of Music VIII circa 1964

Series 10: Sheet music; undated. 0.2 cubic feet.

Box/
Folder		 Description Date
12/5 Sheet Music – Alaska’s Flag undated
12/6 Structure for Orchestra in One Movement: “Resurgence” by Willard Straight undated

Comments are closed.