Amphion Club.

Biographical/Historical note

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.

Gertrude Gilbert (d. 1947) was the long-standing club president (1907-1908; 1911-1946) and a key figure in the musical and cultural movements of the city. Another key figure was Mrs. Jessie “Brownie” Buker (b. 1874, d. 1972), who is the probable compiler of much of this collection. Mrs. Buker was secretary-treasurer of the club from 1918-1948. Born in Illinois, she came to San Diego in 1912 and was married to Benjamin A. Buker. Jessie Buker was instrumental in the success of the Amphion Club and in the growth of the arts and culture in San Diego. Aside from her work with the Amphion Club, Mrs. Buker was a concert manager for Los Angeles impresario L.A. Behymer, worked with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and was a member of the Altrusa Club and the San Diego Retirement Association.