Fonds AM1112 - Women's Committee of the Vancouver Symphony Society fonds

Established in 1947, the Women's Committee of the Vancouver Symphony Society held its first meeting May 14th of the same year. The committee's constitution stipulated that its first objective was to "promote a friendly understanding between the citizens and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra stressing the important cultural contribution of the orchestra to the city, province and dominion." During the first 36 years of its existence the committee raised over $ 500,000 for the Society's operating expenses, the endowment fund and the purchase of musical scores and instruments. Its fund-raising events included symphony fairs, fashion shows, gala openings, tours of musical events in Europe, movie premieres, benefit concerts and symphony balls. In 1956 the committee began sponsoring an annual scholarship competition for young musicians of orchestral instruments. In the 37th year of the committee's existence (1984) a proposal to restructure the committee's groups under a centralized administration was made and two years later the committee was disbanded and its functions transferred to a new organization, the Vancouver Symphony Volunteers.