Our History
...as told by Ruth Miller Chamlee at our annual banquet in May of 1972:
“Once upon a time when a few, (and a very few) of us were young, and most of us were waiting up yonder to be born....(in fact it was the tenth of September 1906), a group of Los Angeles women met in the studio of Miss Mary O’Donoghue to discuss the organization of a club for women musicians. Their objective was the promotion of social fellowship and the advancement of musical culture in Los Angeles. Both Miss O’Donoghue and her colleague, Mrs. Blanche Hennion Robinson, were accompanists for the fine choral group of men who called themselves “The Ellis Club.” She and Mrs. Robinson, who alternated in this work, felt that women should form a musical group; hence, this meeting
There were nine ladies on this first occasion, AND I MEAN LADIES! They had just returned from vacations at the beach bedecked in the swimming costumes of the day: full bloomers, sailor blouses, long black stockings, bathing shoes and hats. They put aside these revealing clothes which showed their limbs from the knee to the ankle, donned their Gibson Girl blouses and floor length skirts, and decided to do something to make Los Angeles a city of culture.”
Origins of the name "Dominant"
"...named by Mr. Adolph Wilhartitz, of beloved memory, because of his conviction that the most important place in the scale of life is filled by women."
Archival Records
Historical Records from the Dominant Club are available for scholarly research at:
HUNTINGTON LIBRARY
Graphic Arts and Social History
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108
Donate
How to support the Club
The Dominant Club is a 501(c)3 Charitable Organization
Consider becoming an honored Affiliate of the Dominant Music Club
As an Affiliate, you will receive a special invitation to all of our Recital & Tea events.
All donations made to the Dominant Music Club are fully tax deductible.
If you wish to support the efforts of the Dominant Music Club to support female musicians in Los Angeles today while preserving the history of the women in music who came before us, please contact our Treasurer Linda Williams Pearce.
Affiliates
Affiliate members include those individuals who wish to support the Dominant Club’s mission of honoring women in music by donations of money and major services-in-kind. Various categories of gifts range from yearly gifts of $25 to $1000.
FRIENDS
(yearly gift of $25-$99)
WAYNE BEHLENDORF
FRITZIE CULICK
RICHARD FELDMAN
TAMMY O'CONNOR
BRENDAN ROSS
RHODA TUIT
JEAN TURNMIRE
PATRONS
(yearly gift $100-$299)
MICHAEL GLASSICK
ROSIE GUADERRAMA
DR. RICHARD KEAGY
DR. ARTURO SALGADO & SETH DIAMOND
SILVER CIRCLE
(yearly gift of $300-$599)
JAMES THATCHER
SYLVIA WEBSTER
in honor of DMC member Leila Webster
GOLD CIRCLE
(yearly gift of $600-$999)
DR. HENRY F. FLIEGEL
PLATINUM CIRCLE
(Yearly gifts of $1000 and above and
Members whose support of the Dominant Club continues in perpetuity)
DOROTHY ROBINSON
KATHERINE CAMERON EBBERT
MARIA THRESHER WEBB
GERTRUDE CLEOPHAS
HELEN THRESHER SIMONSEN
ENID DAILY
LOIS LYNN ROGERS STONEMAN
WILBERNA WIGELSWORTH
ELINOR REMICK WARREN
EVELYN HOOD
THOMAS OSBORN D.M.A. (Patron)
BARBARA & GEORGE KLUMP
GIZELLA AND WENDALL GREENLEE
Contact Us
For general information regarding the Club, please contact our President Sarah Bloxham.
Membership
For questions regarding Club membership, please contact Membership Chair,
Honorary Members
Claudine Carlson, soprano
Gloria Cheng, piano
Emma Lou Diemer, composer
JoAnn Falletta, conductor, lutenist
Dame Evelyn Glennie, percussion
Hillary Hahn, violin
Marilyn Horne, mezzo-soprano
Libby Larson, composer
Susann McDonald, harp
Vicki Ray, piano
Jessica Rivera, soprano
August Read Thomas, composer
In Memoriam
In Memoriam, Members
DELPHINE TODD COLBY
MRS. JIRAH D. COLE
ELSA VON MENASCO
MARY ESTA GROVES
HELEN SMYSER McKNIGHT
MRS.ROBERT SMITH
KIE JULIE CHRISTIN
CAROLYN A. ALCHIN
PEARL BURKE SELBY
BERESFORD JOY
MINNIE HANCE JACKINS
KATHERINE KIMBALL FOREST
GRACE M. STIVERS
ELIZABEITH EICHELBERGER
CARRIE COUGER
INGA NELSON BROWN
LOUISE NIXON HILL GEISSLER
ESTELLE HEARTT DREYFUS
MARY O’DONOGHUE
MARGARET GOETZ
CATHERINE COLLETE SHANK
MAUD R. WANKOWSKI
GERTRUDE ROSS
MIABELLE EVERETT
MABEL BROUSSEAU
BLANCHE ROGERS LOTT
OLGA STEEB
CODELIA SMISSERT
HARRIET OGILVIE
KATHERINE E. STONE
GRACE ADELE FREEBEY
JENNIE WINSTON
JENNY KEMPTON HAMILTON
JENNY HAGEN GOODWIN
ANNIE YAWTHORPE
EVA FRANCES PIKE
BERTHA VAUGHN
GERTRUDE PAINE SHERRY
INA GOODWIN
NORMA ROCKHOLD ROBBINS
JANET SPENCER
LILY LINK BRANNAN
MADELINE AKERS
ALICE COLEMAN BATCHELDER
MABEL CROWELL
MARGARET COLEMAN
SADIE DOUGLASS HAMILTON
BESSIE FUHRER ERB
MARY GOWANS MACDONALD
VERNA C. BLYTHE
ANNIE L. MARTIN
E. EMILIE BAXTER
ABBIE NORTON JAMISON
JENNIE L. JONES
BERTHA WILBUR
FRANCES WARREN HAYNES
MARION KERBY
LILLIAN BACKSTRAND WILSON
MME. LA NORA YEATMAN GRIFFITH
MARIA THRESHER WEBB
MURIEL MAXWELL
MRS. CECIL FRANKEL
GERTRUDE B. PARSONS
IDA SELBY OLSHAUSEN
MELBA HUNT
HARRIET JOHNSON
ISABELLE CURL PIANA
MONNIE HAYES HASTINGS
FRIEDA PEYCKE
ELIZABETH COPELAND
CONSTANCE BALFOUR HITCHEN
ANN THOMPSON McDOWELL
CARLOTTA COMER –WAGNER
ARTIE MASON CARTER
JULIE HOWELL OVERSHINER
HULDA C. DIETZ
KATHERINE CAMERON EBBERT
BLANCHE W. ROBINSON
BLANCHE BROCKELBANK
EVA YOUNG ZOBELEIN
EDNA GUNNAR PETERSON
GERTRUDE CLEOPHAS
ALICE MOCK
JESSIE WEIMAR
MARY TEITSWORTH CHERRY
JANE GRAY DAVIS
EDNA CROWELL LEVY
RUTH E. COURTOIS
RUTH M. WIDENHAM
JEAN COLWELL HOUGHTON
DAISY SINCLAIR
LEAH EFFENBACH
LILLIAN JACKSON SARGENT
HELEN THRESHER SIMONSEN
PHYLLIS HAUSMAN LOEB
VIRGINIA THORNTON
VADAH OLCOTT BICKFORD
IRENE ROBERTSON
MARJORIE DUNCAN BAKER
FRANCES COPELAND
JESSIE MACDONALD PATTERSON
IVY MAE TRAVIS
LUCILE FOWLER MARKS
CAROLYN HELMS
LAURA GRIFFING
GERTRUDE COHEN RIESE
JEAN WISWELL
RUTH MILLER CHAMLEE
AMY NEILL
PAULINE ALDERMAN
INEZ HALLORAN MAURY
ALMA LOWE CREIGHTON
MARGOT JEAN
ILSE FOERSTEL BLISS
DOROTHY GLEASON
ANITA BAICHER
FRANCES ANN WISHARD
DOROTHY CHESS
MARY ENGBERG
ENID DAILY
ROXANNA BYERS
RUTH HOWARD DUFFY
LOIS LYNN ROGERS STONEMAN
MAY HOGAN CAMBERN
ELIZABETH BERGER
HELEN WARD HUMPHREY
WILBERNA WIGELSWORTH
GEORGIA WILLIAMS MEHRA
ZARUHI ELMASSIAN VARTIAN
DOROTHY GONTZOFF
NAOMI REYNOLDS
ELTHEA TURNER
LORRAINE ECKARDT KIMBALL
ELINOR REMICK WARREN
CATHERINE JACKSON
ELIZABETH WALBERG
WINIFRED FALL
MARY BOOTH
GENEVIEVE JAISSLE
JEAN WYLIE HAUCK
OLGA BALOGH
OLGA FREEARK
RUZA PAIDAR STACKHOUSE
EVELYN PADDOCK SMITH
MARY GREEN PAULOO
DR. ALBERT TESSIER (PATRON)
HARRIET PAYNE
MAE GILBERT REESE
DR. HARRY SILVER (PATRON)
ELISE BAXTER MOENNIG
EVELYN HOOD
JUNE MONTGOMERY
MARGARETHA LOHMANN
JANE SULLIVAN
EDITH KRITNER
LOIS HUFF CEPPARO
SOCIA MIRKIL
GERALDINE SMITH HEALY
RUTH SWAN
DOROTHY JEAN HARTSHORN
POLLYANNE BAXTER
JOYCE FIZZOLIO
BERNICE HUTCHINSON
JEAN OLLIS
DOROTHY ROBINSON
LAVERNE DAYTON
JAN WAGNER (PATRON)
MARNE DUNLAP LAIDIG
THOMAS OSBORN D.M.A. (PATRON)
PEGGY GILBERT
DELPHINE FAHRINGER
MARGARET HINDEE
CORNELIA KORNEY
NATALIE LIMONICK
GWENDOLYN ROBERTS
ESTHER (“Ouija”) WIEDOWER
EARL LEROY WEBSTER (PATRON)
HELENA SUNDGREN
LYNN ROSNER (PATRON)
ENID JACOBSEN
PAULINE DELMONTE
DOROTHY LEDGER
JEAN A. ELDREDGE
DR. MARION VREE BROWN
JOCELYN KEAGY (PATRON)
DIANE RADKE
MARILYN SAVAGE
TAMARA MASLOFF
HENRIETTA PELTA
CAROL SKINNER
LOUISE PIXA
RUBY LUBAN
DOROTHY SPAFARD HULL
FRANK W. HARMAN, III (AFFILIATE)
DR. WILLIAM RUTHERFORD (AFFILIATE)
LEILA WEBSTER
JOYCE SWEENEY
BARBARA KLUMP
GINA SHAW
GIZELLA GREENLEE (AFFILIATE)
DR. CECILY SWEENEY
GINA SHAW
DALE JERGENSON (COMPOSER LAUREATE)
GEORGE KLUMP (AFFILIATE)
MARGARET SHELTON MEIER
NOBUKO FUJIMOTO
MARY RAWCLIFFE
NANCY WORK (AFFILIATE)
LEA FRATELLO (AFFILIATE)
SALLY E. MOSHER, ESQ.
In Memoriam,
Honorary Members
Mme. ERNESTINE SCHUMAN-HEINK
JOHANNA GADSKI
TERESA CARRENO
ADELA VERNE
MAUD POWELL
JEANNE JOMELLI
KATHERINE FISK
MARCELLA SEMBRICH
LILLIAN NORDICA
MARY GARDEN
ALMA GLUCK
ELLEN BEACH YAW
LOTTIE TAUSCHER
MRS. H.H.A. BEACH
ANNA V. MUKLA
CARRIE JACOBS BOND
ISABEL MORSE JONES
ALICE COLEMAN BATCHELDER
DR. MARY CARR MOORE
MRS. L.E. BEHYMER
BESSIE BARTLETT FRANKEL
MARCELLA CRAFT
HARRIET WARE
MME. ROSA RAISA
JEANETTE MACDONALD
FLORENCE M. IRISH
HELEN TRAUBEL
Mme. ROSINA LHEVINNE
ETHEL BARTLETT ROBERTSON
MARJORIE LAWRENCE
RUTH MILLER CHAMLEE
PAULINE ALDERMAN
DOROTHY HUTTENBACK
ELINOR REMICK WARREN
DOROTHY KIRSTEN
GENIA LUBOSHUTZ
RADIE BRITAIN
JARMILLA NOVOTNA
DOROTHY BUFFUM CHANDLER
DOROTHY ELLIS HOPPER
NADINE CONNER
DR. CATHARINE CROZIER
BIRGIT NILSSON
ELEONORE SCHOENFELD
EUDICE SHAPIRO
SHIRLEY VERRETT
DOROTHY WARENSKJOLD
NAN MERRIMAN
NAOMI FARR
IVAN GALLARDO (Poet Laureate)
MARNI NIXON
MARALIN NISKA
CAROL NEBLETT
ALICE SCHOENFELD
MAURITA "BUNNY" PHILIPS-THORNBURGH
