Meet at Highland Christian Church        1500 Forest Hills Blvd.  (Hwy. 279)        Bella Vista, Arkansas  72715

HISTORY — FOUNDING OF NFMC, AFMC, ANDANTE MUSIC CLUB

“The Beginnings of Music Service in the United States of America”

 The 1893 World’s Fair Celebration in Chicago, Illinois, acted as a springboard for the beginning of the

National Federation of Music Clubs. In 1893 Theodore Thomas, Musical Director of the fair, put out a call to

all “Women’s Amateur Musical Clubs” in the country to participate in the “World’s Columbian Exposition.

”Two Directors, a Secretary and an “Expert Jury” were designated.

Thirty-five organizations responded to the four-day event. Each was to show

1. the actual standard of the best class of American music in all parts of the country;

2. to stimulate the formation of such clubs in places where they did not exist and

3. to give national recognition of women’s educational work.

Morning and afternoon sessions were held. A concert was given by each group. The “expert Jury” consisted of

12 men and women who were to designate certain organizations as Clubs of Honor, Clubs of Special Honor

or Individuals with the most Artistic Performance. No one wanted this kind of activity to end. The ultimate

founding of NFMC was 1898. The Arkansas Federation of Music Clubs was founded in 1915. Andante Music

Club was established in 1985.

After the formation of NFMC a Junior Division and a Collegiate division were added. Through the years many

other divisions were formed: promoting American Women Composers; enlisting orchestras, ballet companies;

American Folk Music; leadership training, etc. NFMC from its beginning, has been the champion for the

American Composer and the American Performer. Most Americans had to go to Europe to establish a

reputation, then return to the United States to make a living by concertizing.