Contains programs, printed matter, correspondence and artists contracts, and financial and box office reports pertaining to the Duke Artists Series. Materials range in date from 1931-2000.
The Artists Series was founded in 1931, when an unfortunate fire at Raleigh's Memorial Auditorium forced a scheduled concert by piano great Ignace Paderewski to be moved to Duke's Page Auditorium. Paderewski played to an enthusiastic crowd, albeit in near complete dark due to his stage fright, and in the midst of a winter snowstorm. After its unscheduled beginning, the Artists Series soon became a cultural institution on campus and in the community. From the start, the Series presented established and admired international performers in classical music, opera, ballet, and folk and modern dance.
Each academic year, an average of six performances have been scheduled, primarily in Page Auditorium, although Cameron Indoor Stadium has been used for unusually large or popular performing groups such as the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Examples of artists who have performed as part of the Artists Series include Jascha Heifetz, the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, Yehudi Menuhin, Artur Rubinstein, Martha Graham, the Robert Shaw Chorale, Andres Segovia, Isaac Stern, Beverly Sills, Leontyne Price, and Murray Perahia amongst many others. The Artists Series was directed from its inception to 1956 by J. Foster Barnes, Director of Social and Religious Affairs. William J. Griffith, Director of the Student Union and later of Student Affairs, led the Series from 1956 to 1969 when Ella Fountain Pratt took over its leadership under the Office of Cultural Affairs. Upon Pratt's retirement in 1984, Susan L. Coon, as Director of the Office of Cultural Affairs, assumed administration of the program. As of the 2000-2001 academic year, the Artists Series is administered by Coon under the Office of University Life. There is an advisory committee chaired by the Director of the Office of Cultural Affairs (or University Life). The ten member committee is composed of at least two members of the Music Department, two general faculty, two members of the community, four students from the major dance and music organizations, and the chairperson of the University Union Performing Arts Committee. The advisory committee is responsible for the final selection of series performers and the approval financial arrangements accompanying these selections.
