Chamber Arts Society: History/Program Archive

Chamber Arts Society of Durham at Duke University

Durham's Chamber Arts Society was formed in 1945, when six people met to discuss the possibility of forming an association that would offer members of the Durham and Duke communities an opportunity to further their enjoyment, understanding, and appreciation of the fine arts. Under the leadership of Ernest Nelson, Professor of Renaissance History at Duke, the Chamber Arts Society sought founding members and began presenting chamber music concerts in the East Duke Music Room at Duke University to an enthusiastic and growing audience.

Professor Nelson chaired the society, along with a loyal corps of volunteers, until 1963, when he sponsored Leland Phelps, Chairman of the German Department at Duke, for the newly-created post of Director of the Chamber Arts Society. Professor Phelps continued in this role until 1979. In 1975, with the advice and assistance of Chancellor John Blackburn, the Society was put under the aegis of Duke University in order to simplify the handling of financial and administrative matters.

Professor Phelps turned over the Directorship of the Society to Ruth Blum in 1979.

One of Ms. Blum's first campaigns was to have the East Duke Music Room renamed to honor the founder of the Chamber Arts Society, and the first concert in the fall of 1980, by Ruth Laredo and Raphael Hillyer, was dedicated to Ernest Nelson. Shortly thereafter, as the Chamber Arts Society concert attendance outgrew the Nelson Room, and the university constructed a new student center—the Bryan Center—the series left the more intimate confines of the Nelson Music Room for the more formal and larger Reynolds Industries Theater, where most of its concerts are given today.

Under Ruth Blum's dedicated leadership the membership and attendance grew rapidly, the organization became financially stable, and the Chamber Arts Society's reputation grew to become one of the nation's top chamber music series. Blum continued to lead the Chamber Arts Society until her retirement at the end of the 1999-2000 season. Upon her retirement, an endowment fund was created to honor her accomplishments, joining the Edith London Endowment Fund and the Ernest Nelson Endowment Fund in providing annual support for artists' fees for the series, which enables the Society to offer reasonable ticket prices.

The Chamber Arts Society is directed by an Advisory Board, chaired by the current Director, George Gopen, Professor of the Practice of Rhetoric at Duke University. The Chamber Arts Society's booking and financial affairs are handled by Duke Performances, with artistic decisions remaining in the hands of the Advisory Board.