Bohemians (New York Musicians' Club)

The Bohemians (the New York Musicians' Club) was founded in 1907 by virtuoso pianist Rafael Joseffy (1852-1915). Joseffy and a group of fellow classical musicians incorporated the club the following year, and in 1914 created the Musician's Foundation Inc., a charitable organization that provides emergency financial support to professional musicians in need. The club's stated purpose is to "further the cause of music and the interests of musicians, to advance the careers of young musicians, to support the philanthropic Musicians Foundation," and to foster fellowship among musicians. Initially, the Bohemians was a men-only club made up of classical musicians, composers, and music lovers. At first, the Bohemians limited its size to 50 members, and by 1956 it had raised the limit to 600. Also by the mid-1950s, the group allowed women members to join. The club's membership has included many of the most prominent musicians and music lovers in New York, such as Avery Fisher, Dorothy Delay, Gilda Glazer, Jascha Heifetz, Serge Koussevitsky, Eugene Ormandy, and Virgil Thomson, among many others.

Membership privileges include attendance at their annual meeting and monthly meetings, held between October and May, which consists of dinner, a concert, and a reception, and admittance to other special events. Meetings have taken place at various Manhattan venues, including the Waldorf Astoria, the Liederkranz Foundation, the Harvard Club, the Biltmore, the Lotos Club, and the Kozciuszko Foundation. The club is currently in operation and is managed by elected officers, a board of directors, and artistic advisors.

Source: "The Bohemians," accessed August 16, 2011, http://the-bohemians.org

From the guide to the The Bohemians collection, 1907-2008, 1920-1987, (The New York Public Library. Music Division.)