Chartered in 1912

I.     ORGANIZATION AND CHAPTER

A.   First organizational meeting called by Homer Henley on March 10, 1912. The second meeting on March 23, 1912, “partially completed” the organization process with “nearly two score teachers of music” present.

B.    First President: Mrs. Charles Mering.

C.   Charter: Original lost; Re-issue dated December of 1925, currently in the archives of the Sacramento County Historical Society. All minutes, fiscal reports, scrapbooks, etc., are stored in the same location.

II.    OBJECTIVES

A.   To work within the community for the advancement of music.

1.    Membership has included conductors and members of the symphony or philharmonic orchestras in Sacramento; directors and members of choral groups and church choirs; church organists, pianists and soloists; heads of the music conservatories and private music schools; faculty members of the music departments of the Sacramento Public Schools, California State University at Sacramento and the three local community colleges.

2.    Promotion of cultural events including concerts, lectures, seminars, etc.

3.    Obtain high school credit for private study of music as noted in Branch Minuets of 1917: “Miss Ellen Hughes (music instructor at Sacramento High School) then spoke on a plan whereby pupils in the high school could obtain credits for work done outside of school.”

B.   Performance opportunities for members and their students.

1.    First joint recital presented in 1918 at suggestion of Florine Wenzel, President. Additional recitals where given during National Music Week.

2.    1938-1942 – Weekly Sunday Vespers presented during certain months.

3.    1953 – The addition of adjudicated recitals.

4.    1959 – The beginning of the Piano Festival with several hundred students and a few teachers participating. First Chairman: Irene James. First conductor: Fritz Berens, Conductor of the Sacramento Symphony Orchestra.

5.    2002-2011 Branch Recitals include:

a.    Annual Festival and Festival Honors Recital

b.    Halloween Recital

c.    Series Recitals

d.    Baroque Music Festival

e.    CM Honors Recital

f.     Memorial Scholarship Recital

g.    Adult Recital

h.    Ensemble Recital

i.     Composers Today Recital

6.    2012 - Present Branch Recitals include:

a. Baroque Music Festival

b. Fall Harest Recital

c. CM Branch Honors Recital

d. Adult Recital

e. Memorial Scholarship Recital

f. Master Classes; Piano and Flute

g. Spring Fling/Composers Today Recital

h. Guitar Recital

i. Branch Honors Soiree

7. Presentation of Members in Branch Programs – Each year, members share knowledge and special talents for further enrichment of all members.

C.   Scholarship opportunities for students

1.    Scholarship fund created in 1954 for third, and fourth year potential teachers attending Sacramento State College (now California State University of Sacramento).

2.    2009-2010 awards are:

a.    Memorial Scholarship: $100, $150, $200 awards

b.    Cosumnes River College – Four $100 awards

c.    Travel awards to students’ participation in the MTAC Convention - $500.

D.   Participation in State MTAC Programs

1.    Certificate of Merit

2.    Monetary donation to State Composers Today Program

3.    Hosting State Conventions in Sacramento:

a.    William Land School Auditorium, June 29 – July 3, 1917

b.    Sacramento Memorial Auditorium, July 8 – 11, 1929

c.    Senator Hotel, July 8 – 11, 1945

d.    Sacramento Inn, July 7 – 11, 1969

e.    Red Lion Inn, June 28 – July 2, 1985

f.     Red Lion Inn, June 30 – July 4, 1989

g.    Hyatt Regency Hotel – 2005

III.           MEMBERSHIP

A.   Active since 1912

B.   Current membership: 73 Total (2021)

• 52 Active Member

• 6 Over Age 70

• 5 Over Age 80

• 10 Student Teacher

Branch Presidents

1912 Mrs. Charles Mering

1913 George A. Anderson

1914 Mrs. L. B. Porterfield

1915-1917 no president

1917 Mrs. Vernice Branel

1918-1923 Florine Wenzel

1924-1925 Mrs. F. H. Thompson

1926 Jean Barnes

1927-1928 Wimer Bakes

1929-1930 Florine Wenzel

1931 Pauline Ireland

1932 Mrs. Frances Pritchard Rooney

1933 Mrs. Marguerite Rowland

1934 Mrs. Bernice Faustman

1935 Mrs. Grace Lincoln Burnam

1936 Mrs. Elis Juillerat Robinson

1937-1938 Mme. Winifred Lucia Fisher

1939 Vitold Farrelle

1940 Miss Doris Bugbey

1941 Helen Ormsbee

1942 Miss Hazel Pritchard

1943-1944 Sadie Parrish

1945 Virginia Whetsone

1946 Bessie Assalena

1947 Florine Wenzel

1948-1949 Mme. Winifred Lucia Fisher

1950-1951 Doris Bugbey

1952-1954 Mrs. Irene Manning Pendergast

1955-1956 Louis Schenk

1957-1958 Dilworth Simmons

1959-1960 Frances Cook

1961-1962 Leah Ramsey

1963-1964 Elizabeth Monk

1965-1966 Ruth Upp

1967-1968  Grayce Kent Clark

1969-1970 Betty Sturgess

1976-1977 Edna Sibole

1977-1978 Edna Sibole

1978-1979 Edna Sibole

1979-1981 Willie Mae Pryor

1981-1983 Ruth Davis

1983-1985 Marilyn Hooton

1985-1987 Lynette Cappello Kilton

1987-1989 Irene Brown

1989-1991 Margaret Maestretti

1991-1992 Lynne Cimorelli

1992-1993 Yuiry Oliynyk

1993-1995 Gerlene Kwan

1995-1997 Judi Sands-Pertel

1997-1999 Marilyn Hooton

1999-2001 Huei-Ping Lin

2001-2003 Janet Neff

2003-2005 Mei-Hui Liu

2005-2007 Susan Muckey

2007-2009 Bill Becker

2009-2011 Mira Veligan

2011-2013 Cynthia Armenta

2013-2015 Natalie Kokhanyy

2015-2017 Tanya Plescia

2017-2019 Tanya Plescia

2019-2021 Irene Brown

2021-2023 Judi Sands-Pertel

2023-2024 Kevin Martinez