100 Years Ago This Week…
David Chapman | March 27, 2026 | history@thso.org
Today we pause our march through the THSO century to celebrate another 100-year milestone for our orchestra: its first rehearsal on March 24, 1926!
First known photograph of the Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra, taken during a undated rehearsal at the Hippodrome Theatre on Ohio Boulevard (now the Scottish Rite building). It was published in the Terre Haute Tribune on December 5, 1926, the day after the orchestra performed its first concert in the Indiana Theatre. (This image came from the Vigo County Public Library’s microfilm collection, which resulted in the poor scan quality. If you have access to this photo in a better quality, please let us know at history@thso.org!)
“Orchestral Society Holds
First Meeting On Next Wednesday”
The THSO began weekly rehearsals at the Indiana Theatre on the morning of March 24, 1926, 100 years ago last Tuesday! Twenty-eight musicians showed up at that first meeting, and before they finished they elected the symphony’s first organizational officers and a board of directors. Professor Bryant officially became the THSO’s inaugural conductor/director, violinist Arthur Hill its first concertmaster, and French horn player Eugene Asbury its first librarian. Fellow horn player James Morris was elected President [Author’s note: my predecessor!] and cellist Daisy (Mrs. W. E.) Robinson became Vice President. The board comprised Will Bryant and Eugene Asbury, as well as flutist Victor Miller and violinists Beulah Gifford and Warren Lucas.
“Orchestra’s Showing Promises
Excellent Musical Ensemble”
Photograph of Indiana Theatre, published in Moving Picture World, March 18, 1922
In the week after this first meeting, several local newspapers noted the quality and energy of this first day of rehearsals. The Terre Haute Star prophesied on March 28 — one hundred years ago tomorrow! — that the new orchestra “forecasts the development of an extremely capable organization and one that seems destined to make Terre Haute musical history.”
And here we are, at the other end of a century, looking back!
Read about the rest of THSO’s first year at our first blogpost from February!
Next week, we hope you will come back for Part 2 of “THSO in the Great Depression!”
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Sources on the founding:
“Society Plans for Symphony Orchestra,” Terre Haute Star, February 21, 1926, page 19.
“Orchestral Society Arouses Interest Far Out of City,” Terre Haute Star, March 7, 1926, page 12.
“Music Box,” Terre Haute Saturday Spectator, March 13, 1926, page 39.
“Orchestral Society Holds First Meeting on Next Wednesday,” Terre Haute Star, March 21, 1926, page 22.
“Orchestra’s Showing Promises Excellent Musical Ensemble,” Terre Haute Star, March 28, 1926, page 12.
“Terre Haute Symphony,” Terre Haute Saturday Spectator, April 3, 1926, page 16.
“Terre Haute Has Symphony Orchestra,” Pantagraph [Bloomington, Illinois], April 17, 1926, page 18.
“Orchestra Planned for Terre Haute,'“ Press-Telegram [Long Beach, California], April 25, 1926, page 18.
[Untitled article], November 20, 1926, Terre Haute Saturday Spetator, page 22.