Product Details
Beautifully engraved antique membership certificate from the Boston Conservatory of Music dating back to the 1890's. This document, which is signed by the company President and Musical Director, measures approximately 11 1/4" (w) by 9 1/4" (h).
This certificate features a pair of detailed vignettes - a group of musical instruments at the left and the conservatory's original building on Tremont Street in Boston on the right.
You will receive the exact certificate pictured.
Historical Context
On February 11, 1867, violinist and composer Julius Eichberg founded The Boston Conservatory as a professional training academy and a community music school. It was one of the first conservatories to grant admission to African Americans and women.
In 1873, Eichberg's operetta “The Doctor of Alcontara” was performed at the conservatory by the first African-American opera company in the U.S.
In 1878, Eichberg established the Eichberg String Quartet, the first professional female quartet.
In 1893, upon Eichberg's death, direction was assumed by R. Marriner Floyd, with Herman P. Chelius, organist and composer, serving as the musical director. Under their direction, the school was first incorporated in 1896.
After the turn of the 20th century, the conservatory merged with the National Associated Studios of Music, and created the first "grand opera" department in the U.S.
In 1943, Jan Veen established The Boston Conservatory Dance Division, the first program to emphasize both classical ballet and America's emerging modern dance. In 1951, the school gained authority to award Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in drama and dance.
Prior to 2015, The Boston Conservatory was an independent private college with accredited programs in music, dance, and theater. The conservatory has presented more than 700 performances each year.
In 2015, The Boston Conservatory began talks with Berklee College of Music to explore a merger of the two schools.
On January 19, 2016, the two schools announced that they would merge under an institutional umbrella called Berklee, which now consists of Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Berklee College of Music, Berklee Online, and Berklee Valencia.
