SINGING SUCCESS

Evening Star, Issue 19776, 28 January 1928, Page 18

SINGING SUCCESS

YOUNG GIRL WITH MO BACKING REACHES TOP RANK. Proof that a young singer can make her way to operatic success without financial backing or Press agenting was given when Miss Kathryn Witwer, a self-supporting Chicago girl, made a triumphant debut with Mary Garden in the Chicago Civic Opera. Miss Witwer came to Giiicago live years ago just out of high school, and exchanged her services as a stenographer for singing lessons. The little that remained of her salary after her lessons were paid for served to meet her living expenses. Last spring the young musician entered the contest of the National Federation of Music Clubs, and won first honors. She tied for the prize of the Opera Club at the same time. That brought her the first newspaper publicity she had known. Still she went on with her lessons and her stenography . SANG ROLE JN ‘CARMEN.’ Then the Civic Opera Company offered her an opportunity to sing the role of Michacla in ‘Carmen.’ So well did the audience receive her singing and acting of the part that critics commented on the fact that the star and the debutante shared equally in the applause. Miss Witwer comes of a family that boasts no professional musicians. Her father was at one time a rural school teacher, then a steel worker at Gary, Ind. He later moved to Cumberland, Md., where he now is employed in railroad work. It was while living in Gary that Miss Witwer had her first lessons in singing. Richard De Young, a Chicago vocal teacher, taught at that time also in the steel city, and Kathryn, a high school girl, was allowed to have two or throe lessons. The musician was impressed with her voice.

STEADILY WON RECOGNITION. It was not until after the family moved to Maryland, however, that he heard from her again. Kathryn wrote to him to inquire if there were not some way she might study here—working at night, perhaps, to pay her way.' Some time later she received a reply when Mr Do Young offered her a position as stenographer in his studio. She had just enough money to make the trip, and she came. Stop by step she won recognition. The first time she entered a contest of the National Federation of Music Clubs she went as far as the finals, losing only by a point in the Portland (Ore.) biennial. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra brought her again to favorable public notice when she appeared as a soloist for one of its concerts. Her victory in the music clubs competition last April was the result of her second effort, and brought her a prize of 500 dollars, in addition to an award of 500 dollars from the Opera Club, which she won at the same time.