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Ellis-Orpheus Men's Chorus musical arrangements and papers
PASC-M 99
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Title: Ellis-Orpheus Men's Chorus musical arrangements and papers
Collection number: PASC-M 99
Contributing Institution:
UCLA Library Special Collections
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
12.2 linear ft.
(17.5 document boxes, 2 oversize flat boxes, 1 custom box, 1 map folder)
Date (inclusive): 1872-2000
Abstract: The Ellis-Orpheus Men's Chorus was one of the most enduring choral societies in the United States, and played a significant
role in Los Angeles culture from the founding of the Ellis Club in 1888 until its dissolution in 2000. The collection consists
primarily of the group's sheet music, mostly arranged for four-part men's voices. Also present are programs for most of the
group's concerts, membership and financial records, and some photographs.
Physical Location: Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact the UCLA Library Special
Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Open for research. Advance notice required for access. Contact the UCLA Library Special
Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Restrictions on Use and Reproduction
Property rights to the physical object belong to the UCLA Library Special Collections. Literary rights, including copyright,
are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright
and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
[Identification of item], Ellis-Orpheus Men's Chorus Musical Arrangements and Papers (Collection PASC-M 99). UCLA Library
Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.
The Ellis Club was founded by Charles J. Ellis in 1888 as a men's chorus providing entertainment to the burgeoning city of
Los Angeles. The club was in such demand that Joseph P. Dupuy saw fit to found the similar Orpheus Club in 1905. Both groups
thrived in the early part of the century, but their memberships declined throughout the Great Depression and in 1939 they
merged to form the Ellis-Orpheus Men's Chorus. After the war, the club shifted its focus from downtown Los Angeles to the
South Bay, performing the majority of its concerts in El Segundo, Torrance, and Palos Verdes. In the ensuing decades, its
membership would shrink even further, and they encountered great difficulty attracting younger members. Ultimately, the group
decided to disband after its concert on April 30, 2000.
The collection consists primarily of the group's sheet music, mostly arranged for four-part men's voices. Also present are
programs for most of the group's concerts, membership and financial records, and some photographs.
This collection is arranged into the following series:
- Series 1. Sheet music
- Series 2. Programs
- Series 3. Administrative records
- Series 4. Photographs
UCLA Catalog Record ID:
4232978
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Choruses (Men's voices).
Music--California--Los Angeles--Societies, etc.