Finding Aid for Allen S. Weller Program Collection, 1919-1989 | The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

By Sandy Kroeker and Jonas Kromer Yela

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Collection Overview

Title: Allen S. Weller Program Collection, 1919-1989

ID: 12/1/21

Primary Creator: Weller, Allen Stuart (1907-1997)

Extent: 6.0 cubic feet

Arrangement:

Series 1 is arranged according to Weller's original order, grouped by type of performance (Orchestral concerts, Non-orchestral Concerts, and Theatre) and chronologically within each grouping.

Series 2 had no original order, and has been organized into three subseries based on location (Champaign-Urbana/UIUC, Greater Chicago Area, and Other Cities). Each subseries is organized alphabetically by the organization that produced the documented performance, and chronologically within each producing organization's materials.

Date Acquired: 06/20/2023

Subjects: Champaign, Illinois, Chicago, Illinois, Concert Programs, Dance, Dance Department, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Music, Music, School of, Orchestra, Star Course, Theatre, Theatre Department, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois

Scope and Contents of the Materials

Consists of programs from musical, theatrical, and dance performances from Champaign-Urbana, the University of Illinois, the greater Chicago area, New York, and other cities from 1919 to 1989.

Collection Historical Note

Allen Stuart Weller was born in 1907 and grew up in Chicago, where his father was a professor of geology at the University of Chicago. He developed an interest in art as a child, eventually going on to earn his Ph.D. in Art History. Weller served in the Air Force in Italy during World War II, cataloging and overseeing the repatriation of stolen artwork. He joined the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1947, served as the chair of the Art Department from 1948 to 1954, the dean of the College of Fine and Applied Arts from 1954 to 1971, and the director of the Krannert Art Museum from its founding in 1961 through 1964. Weller authored several books on art history, including one on Chicago sculptor Lorado Taft.

At UIUC, Weller was instrumental to the founding and design of the Krannert Art Museum. He also played an important role in the School of Art and Design's Festival of Contemporary Arts. Beginning in 1948 and held biennially until 1974, the Festival formed the basis of the Krannert Art Museum's collections and established the University as an art collecting institution. Under Weller's leadership, the Festival helped generate serious attention for contemporary art, lending institutional legitimacy to a wide variety of American artforms.

Sources:

College of Fine and Applied Arts biography of Allen S. Weller

"Celebrating Art: From Plaster Casts to Contemporary American Art Festivals," by Muriel Scheinman in No Boundaries: University of Illinois Vignettes ed. by Lillian Hoddeson

Oral history interview with Allen S. Weller by Stephen Polcari for the Archives of American Art

Subject/Index Terms

Champaign, Illinois
Chicago, Illinois
Concert Programs
Dance
Dance Department
Krannert Center for the Performing Arts
Music
Music, School of
Orchestra
Star Course
Theatre
Theatre Department
University of Illinois
Urbana, Illinois

Administrative Information

Repository: The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

Acquisition Source: Music and Performing Arts Library via the Press Building basement

Acquisition Method: Materials were brought to SACAM in banker's boxes interfiled with a number of other unprocessed program collections.

Appraisal Information:

All of the programs in Weller's collections were annotated with a date, either a full date or the year, usually in the upper left corner. Comparison with Weller's handwriting confirmed this to be his system. Any programs that did not have this distinctive annotation or some other marking in Weller's handwriting were considered not to be part of the collection, and interfiled with the rest of the programs in the MPAL Small Special Collections.

Appraisal focus was on programs highlighting local performances at the University and the Champaign-Urbana community as well as the greater Chicago area. For the most part, programs from international performances were deaccessioned, except in instances where the performance was of significant historical interest or had some connection to other SACAM collections.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Bound Programs, 1919-1973],
[Series 2: Unbound Programs, 1924-1989],
[All]

Series 1: Bound Programs, 1919-1973

Consists of programs from musical and theatrical performances attended by Allen S. Weller from 1919 to 1973. Weller grouped these programs in bound manila envelopes according to date and type of performance, such as Non-Orchestral concerts, Orchestral concerts, and Theatre.

Box 1

Folder 1: Non-Orchestral Concerts, 1920-1925: Contains programs from the University Orchestral Association at the University of Chicago, Gordon String Quartet at the Quadrangle Club, Danish Singers of Chicago, New York String Quartet at the Blackstone Theatre, Edgewater Catholic Women's Club, the Alden Metropolitan Quartet, the Apollo Musical Club of Chicago, and Orchestra Hall in Chicago.
Folder 2: Non-Orchestral Concerts, 1937-1943: Contains programs from the Beaux Arts Salon and the University of Chicago Department of Music.
Folder 3: Non-Orchestral Concerts, 1944-1947: Contains programs from University of Illinois School of Music and University of Illinois Star Course.
Folder 4: Non-Orchestral Concerts, 1948-1949: Contains programs from the University of Illinois School of Music, University of Illinois Star Course, Festival of Contemporary Arts, University of Colorado College of Music, Goethe Bicentennial Festival Concert, and Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears assisted by the University Sinfonietta.
Folder 5: Non-Orchestral Concerts, 1950-1953: Contains programs from the University of Illinois Star Course, University of Illinois School of Music, and the Festival of Contemporary Arts.
Folder 6: Non-Orchestral Concerts, 1954-1955: Contains programs from Lorado Taft Lecture, University of Illinois School of Music, and University of Illinois Star Course.
Folder 7: Non-Orchestral Concerts, 1956-1958: Contains programs from University of Illinois School of Music, University of Illinois College of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Illinois Star Course, National Association of Negro Musicians, the Singing Illini, and University Place Christian Church.
Folder 8: Non-Orchestral Concerts, 1959-1961: Contains programs from the University of Illinois School of Music, University of Illinois Star Course, the Dillard University Acappella Choir, Illini Union Music Hours, and Ontario Society and Symphony Orchestra
Folder 9: Non-Orchestral Concerts, 1962-1963: Contains programs from University of Illinois School of Music, University of Illinois Star Course, Knox Choir, Round House, and Festival of Contemporary Arts.
Folder 10: Non-Orchestral Concerts, 1956-1966: Contains programs from University of Illinois School of Music, University of Illinois Star Course, and National Music Camp
Folder 11: Non-Orchestral Concerts, 1970: Contains programs from University of Illinois School of Music, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, American Music Group, and University of Illinois Star Course.
Folder 12: Non-Orchestral Concerts, 1971: Contains programs from the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Threepenny Opera, and University of Illinois School of Music
Folder 13: Non-Orchestral Concerts, 1972-1973: Contains programs from the University of Illinois Star Course, the Blackearth Percussion Group, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity, and University of Illinois School of Music.
Folder 14: Orchestral Concerts, 1919-1924: Contains programs from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the University Orchestral Association at the University of Chicago, the New York Symphony Orchestra at Orchestra Hall, and the Chicago North Shore Festival Association
Folder 15: Orchestral Concerts, 1925-1926: Contains programs from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Seventeenth Music Festival at Northwestern University Gymnasium, the New York Symphony Orchestra at Orchestra Hall, and the Philadelphia Orchestra at Orchestra Hall.
Folder 16: Orchestral Concerts, 1926: Contains programs from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Chicago North Shore Festival, and the University Orchestral Association at the University of Chicago.
Folder 17: Orchestral Concerts, 1927: Contains programs from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Bush Conservatory Symphony Orchestra, and the University Orchestral Association at the University of Chicago.
Folder 18: Orchestral Concerts, 1927-1930: Contains programs from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Chicago North Shore Festival, the Philharmonic Society of New York, Symphony Society of New York, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Barrere Little Symphony, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Box 2

Folder 1: Orchestral Concerts, 1931-1935: Contains programs from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, the Schola Cantorum conducted by Ernest Bloch, and the Teatro Comunale in Florence, Italy.
Folder 2: Orchestral Concerts, 1936-1937: Contains programs from the Chicago Symphony, the Chicago Conservatory, the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, and the Chicago Musical College.
Folder 3: Orchestral Concerts, 1937-1938: Contains programs from the Ravinia Festival, the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Folder 4: Orchestral Concerts, 1938-1940: Contains programs from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Saidenberg Symphonietta, and the Illinois Symphony Orchestra.
Folder 5: Orchestral Concerts, 1940-1942: Contains programs from the Ravinia Festival, Illinois Symphony Orchestra at the University of Chicago, Grant Park Concerts, the University of Chicago Choir, University of Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Folder 6: Orchestral Concerts, 1947-1948: Contains programs from the Philharmonic Society of New York, Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra at the University of Missouri Department of Music, Burral Symphony Orchestra, Minneapolis Civic Orchestra at the University of Minnesota, University of Illinois Star Course, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and University of Illinois School of Music.
Folder 7: Orchestral Concerts, 1948: Contains programs from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Festival of Contemporary Arts, University of Illinois Star Course, Grant Park Symphony Orchestra, and University of Illinois School of Music.
Folder 8: Orchestral Concerts, 1949: Contains progams from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, University of Illinois School of Music, University of Illinois Star Course, and the Haydn-Contemporary Festival.
Folder 9: Orchestral Concerts, 1950-1953: Contains programs from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Festival of Contemporay Arts, University of Illinois School of Music, University of Illinois Star Course, University of Illinois Concert Band, and the University of California Department of Music and Committee on Drama, Lectures, and Music.
Folder 10: Orchestral Concerts, 1965: Contains programs from the University of Illinois Star Course, Festival of Contemporary Arts, University of Illinois School of Music, University of Illinois Concert Band, Champaign-Urbana Civic Symphony Orchestra, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Folder 11: Orchestral Concerts, 1966-1968: Contains programs from the University of Illinois Festival of Concert Band Music, Champaign-Urbana Civic Symphony Orchestra, University of Illinois Star Course, University of Illinois Concert Band, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra, Chicago Chamber Orchestra, Eastern Philharmonic Orchestra, and Univerity of Illinois School of Music.
Folder 12: Orchestral Concerts, 1969-1970: Contains programs from the University of Illinois School of Music, University of Illinois Festival of Concert Band Music, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, University of Illinois Concert Band, Champaign-Urbana Symphony, Mississippi River Festival, University of Illinois Star Course, Osipov Balalaika Orchestra of Moscow, and the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.
Folder 13: Orchestral Concerts, 1971: Contains programs from the University of Illinois Festival of Concert Band Music, Champaign-Urbana Symphony, University of Illinois School of Music, University of Illinois Star Course, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, the National Symphony Orchestra, Illinois Summer Youth Music, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Folder 14: Orchestral Concerts, 1972-1973: Contains programs from the Champaign-Urbana Symphony, University of Illinois Star Course, University of Illinois School of Music, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, University of Illinois Festival of Concert Band Music, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Folder 15: Theatre, 1920-1924: Contains programs from the Shubert Princess Theatre in Chicago, Blackstone Theatre, Playhouse Theatre, Cort Theatre Chicago, the Selwyn Theatre, Olympic Theatre Chicago, Studebaker Theatre, the University of Chicago Dramatic Association, Cohan's Grand Opera House, Shubert Great Northern Theatre, and the Powers' Theatre.
Folder 16: Theatre, 1924-1926: Contains programs from the Blackstone Theatre, Shubert Great Northern Theatre, Apollo Theatre Chicago, the Sam H. Harris Theatre, the Studebaker Theatre, Powers' Theatre, Cort Theatre Chicago, the Quadrangle Club, Adelphi Theatre Chicago, University of Chicago Dramatic Association, the Selwyn Theatre, Illinois Theatre, Palyhouse Theatre, and the Shubert Princess Theatre.
Folder 17: Theatre, 1926-1927: Contains programs from the Shubert La Salle Theatre, Adelphi Theatre Chicago, Shubert Great Northern Theatre, the Sam H. Harris Theatre, Kenneth Sawyer Goodman Memorial Theater, Shuberr Princess Theatre, Blackstone Theatre, Cort Theatre Chicago, Selwyn Theatre, Illinois Theatre, Knickerbocker Theatre, Hampden's Theatre New York, Republic Theatre, Gallo Theatre, and the Garrick Theatre.
Folder 18: Theatre, 1928: Contains programs from the Adelphi Theatre Chicago, Studebaker Theatre, and Cort Theatre Chicago.
Folder 19: Theatre, 1930-1932: Contains programs from the Kenneth Sawyer Goodman Memorial Theatre, Studebaker Theatre, Garrick Theatre, Illinois Theatre, National Theatre, Bildhauer Prof. Aichers Kunstler-Marionetten-Theater in Salzburg, Austria, Saint Louis Shubert Rialto Theatre, American Theatre Saint Louis, Erlanger Theater, Harris Theater, and the Grand Opera House in Chicago.
Folder 20: Theatre, 1933-1935: Contains programs from the Apollo Theatre Chicago, Cort Theatre Chicago, Shubert Grand Opera House, Blackstone Theatre, Studebaker Theatre, Mandel Hall at the University of Chicago, and the University of Chicago Chapel
Folder 21: Theatre, 1936-1937: Contains programs from the Federal Theatre Works Progress Administration, Blackstone Theatre, Great Northern Theatre, Chicago Stagebill, the Princess Theatre, Selwyn Theatre, Harris Theatre, and Erlanger Theatre Chicago.
Folder 22: Theatre, 1938: Contains programs from the Selwyn Theatre, Federal Theatre Works Progress Administration, Grand Opera House Chicago, Erlanger Theatre, and Harris Theatre Chicago.
Folder 23: Theatre, 1939: Contains programs from the Selwyn Theatre, the Chicago Civic Theatre, and Chicago Stagebill.
Folder 24: Theatre, 1940-1944: Contains programs from Chicago Stagebill, the Blackstone Theatre, Grand Opera House Chicago, and the Selwyn Theatre.

Box 3

Folder 1: Theatre, 1945-1946: Contains programs from Chicago Stagebill, Pasadena Playhouse, and Eighth Street Theatre Chicago.
Folder 2: Theatre, 1947: Contains programs from Lincoln Hall Theatre University of Illinois Campus, the Illini Theatre Guild, and Chicago Stagebill.
Folder 3: Theatre, 1948: Contains programs from Chicago Stagebill, the Illini Theatre Guild, and Lincoln Hall Theatre University of Illinois Campus.
Folder 4: Theatre, 1949-1950: Contains programs from the Illini Theatre Guild, Chicago Stagebill, University of Illinois Festival of Contemporary Arts,
Folder 5: Theatre, 1951-1952: Contains programs from the Illini Theatre Guild, University of Illinois Festival of Contemporary Arts, Lincoln Hall Theatre University of Illinois, and the Quadrangel Club.
Folder 6: Theatre, 1953-1955: Contains programs from the University of Illinois Star Course, the Illini Theatre Guild, the University Theatre University of Illinois, Lincoln Hall Theatre, the Motion Picture Committee, and University Summer Theatre.
Folder 7: Theatre, 1955-1957: Contains programs from the University Summer Theatre, the Universtiy Theatre University of Illinois, Blackstone Theatre, Great Northern Theatre, Harris Theatre Chicago, Gregory Hall Theatre, and Erlanger Theatre Chicago.
Folder 8: Theatre, 1957-1958: Contains programs from Knox College, University Theatre University of Illinois, Blackstone Theatre, Lincoln Hall Theatre, and the University Summer Theatre.
Folder 9: Theatre, 1959-1960: Contains programs from Gregory Hall Theatre, the University Theatre University of Illinois, the Playhouse Chicago, University of Illinois Star Course, Univesrity Summer Theatre, and Erlanger Theatre Chicago.
Folder 10: Theatre, 1961-1962: Contains programs from the University Theatre Univesrity of Illinois, Blackstone Theatre, University of Illinois Star Course, Happy Medium Theatre, Chicago Stagebill, Knox College, and the University Summer Theatre.
Folder 11: Theatre, 1963-1965: Contains programs from the University Theatre University of Illinois, Gregory Hall Theatre, and the University Summer Theatre.
Folder 12: Theatre, 1966-1967: Contains programs from the University Theatre University of Illinois, Round House, University Summer Theatre, Cirkus Schumann, Assembly Hall University of Illinois Champaign, and Murray Theatre Chicago.
Folder 13: Theatre, 1968-1969: Contains programs from the University Theatre University of Illinois, Assembly Hall University of Illinois Champaign, Triangle Theatrical Productions, Inc., and Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.
Folder 14: Theatre, 1970-1971: Contains programs from Assembly Hall University of Illinois Champaign, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, the University Theatre University of Illinois, Illinois Summer Youth Theatre, and the Univesrity Summer Theatre.
Folder 15: Theatre, 1972-1973: Contains programs from the University Theatre in the Studio, University of Illinois School Of Music, Assembly Hall University of Illinois, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, May Fair Theatre, Duchess Theatre, Aldwych Theatre, Royalty Theatre London, Royal Court Theatre, Fortune Theatre, and New Theatre London.

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Bound Programs, 1919-1973],
[Series 2: Unbound Programs, 1924-1989],
[All]