Description
The Amphion Club, founded in 1892, was instrumental in bringing internationally-recognized performing artists to San Diego.
This collection includes Club and performance records.
Background
Founded in 1892, the Amphion Club was a powerful force in the development of the San Diego music scene. According to the club
constitution, the organization’s primary goal was to increase the musical knowledge of its members and to elevate the musical
tastes of the community. The membership paid dues, and club income was used to sponsor events. Initially, meetings and performances
by local musicians were held in the homes of club members, but membership quickly grew, and soon the club began hosting concerts
at local venues and attracting artists from around the world. The Amphion Club succeeded in bringing internationally renowned
classical performers to San Diego by offering them a full audience and handsome compensation. Among these artists were pianists
Sergei Rachmaninoff and Ignace Paderewski, contralto Marian Anderson, dancer Anna Pavlova, the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra,
Carrie Jacobs Bond, and Italian soprano Amelita Galli-Curci. The main venues associated with the Amphion Club were the Isis
Theater, Spreckels Theater, Russ Auditorium, Savoy Theatre and the Orpheum Theatre. For many years, performances were available
only to members and their guests, but in 1930, the club began selling tickets to the general public. The organization finally
dissolved in 1948, due to increasing competition in San Diego’s concert scene.