Overview of the exhibit and the Steinway concert grand piano used for the Exhibit Concert and Reception, which was organized with the USU Department of Music.

Utah State Today press release: Thursday, August 18, 2011

Frances Winton Champ—Cornerstone of

Cache Valley Musical Culture

A new exhibit organized by University Libraries at Utah State University takes a unique look at one of Cache Valley’s musical leaders who played a role in the cultural development of Logan.

During the 1920s to 1940s, Frances Winton Champ was a unique talent in northern Utah. Few residents then, or even now, had her comprehensive musical training in concert performance. She was known to devote eight to ten hours a day to practice.

Champ’s unique talent and items from her personal collection provide the foundation for “Frances Winton Champ — Cornerstone of Cache Valley Musical Culture: An Exhibit.”

Now open in the foyer of the Merrill-Cazier Library on the USU campus, the exhibit can be seen now through Oct. 2. The exhibit is free and open to the public.

USU student Jeff Lyon led efforts to assemble the exhibit with an internship funded by the Champ family. An employee with Special Collections and Archives, he also brought a personal and professional interest to the project through his studies as a music student at USU where he is a senior music education major. As exhibit curator, Lyon conducted the research for the exhibit as well as its physical installation.

“The exhibit is divided into three major sections that highlight Frances Winton Champ’s musical life — her work as a composer, pedagogue and performer,” Lyon said.

Introductory panels provide family background and photographs as well.

Frances Winton Champ was the wife of Frederick Percival Champ, a former president of the Board of Trustees for USU and a leader in Cache Valley banking. Frances Champ was an accomplished performer, gifted composer and effective teacher. Her personal music library, a gift from the Champ family, is unique and can be found at the library’s Special Collections and Archives. Portions of the collection are available to the public while additional items are being catalogued.

As a composer, Frances Champ penned sacred songs as well as contemporary works. In an award-winning effort, one of her compositions was included in the Relief Society Songbook for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Examples of her musical manuscripts are displayed.

Champ’s collection of scores spans nearly a century of music publication and several are on display, some with her performance notations. Concert programs are included as are a number of news clippings. An exhibit panel highlights news comments about Mrs. Champ’s performances.

“Frances performed across the country,” Lyon said. “We have clippings or programs from her performances in the Logan Tabernacle to the Hotel Roosevelt in New York City. She performed with the Boston Symphony, the Chicago Symphony, as well as the Utah Symphony as a featured soloist.”

Items from the Champ music library form the foundation of the USU exhibit. The collection was donated to USU by the Champ family.

Among the many unique and personal items in the exhibit are examples of a collaboration between Mrs. Champ and former USU professor and artist Everett Thorpe — a collection of hand-written music pieces with original illustrations by Thorpe. One, published for the beginning piano student, uses themes from Western Native American culture.

The exhibit is enhanced with audio elements, including computer access to the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP.org).

“This amazing project makes public domain music available,” Lyon said. “Collaborating with ISMLP.org allows a worldwide community of musicians access to The Frances Winton Champ Music Collection.”

A reception for the exhibit, with performances of Frances Champ’s music, is Monday, Sept. 12, at the exhibit site. USU’s Department of Music provides support and funding for the concert and will move a Steinway concert grand piano to the library for the event. A number of her original compositions — both published and unpublished — will be performed by music department musicians.

Writer: Patrick Williams