Ptuj Philharmonic Society

Glasbena matica Ptuj je krojila razvoj ptujske glasbe v letih od 1922 do 1941. Bila je glavno društvo na Ptuju, ki je povezovalo tamkajšnje glasbenike in glasbo v sklenjeni krog. Društvo Glasbena matica Ptuj je imelo svoj sedež v prostorih predhodnega in Matici sorodnega nemškega društva Musikverein – danes Dravska ulica 11 (bivši Hrvaški trg 6) – od katerega je prevzela nasledstvo. Ob predvsem organizacijskih dejavnostih, kot sta gojenje zborovske glasbe in prirejanje koncertov, je bila njena najpomembnejša in najodgovornejša naloga vodenje Matičine glasbene šole, katera se je l. 1934 preimenovala v Glasbeno šolo Ptuj. Glasbena šola je kulturno in umetniško izobraževala mestno prebivalstvo, ga vzgajala in vključevala v glasbeno dogajanje. Pouk glasbene šole se je izvajal vzporedno še v Dijaškem domu in v dekliški šoli Mladika (kjer je danes Osnovna šola Mladika). Šola je imela v začetku mladinski zbor in dijaški orkester. Prvi ravnatelj je bil Vaclav Engerer in večino učnih pripomočkov je Matičina glasbena šola prevzela iz bivše Mestne glasbene šole. Najpomembnejši ravnatelj Matičine glasbene šole je bil skladatelj, violinist in učitelj Karol Pahor (1896–1974). Na Ptuju je bil zaposlen od leta 1926 do 1930 in je zaslužen za razširitev učnih programov, izboljšanje delovnega načrta, izpopolnitev drugih dejavnosti mladine, kot so ustanovitev šolskega orkestra, šolskih učiteljskih ansamblov (klavirski trio in godalni kvartet), ki so pogosto nastopali. Ko je Karol Pahor zapustil ptujsko delovno mesto, je postal novi ravnatelj Čenda Šedlbauer, izvrsten čelist iz Prage. Navkljub finančnim težavam je šola iz dneva v dan rastla in širila svoj ugled v javnosti. Tik pred začetkom vojne, tj. v letu 1940, je vodstvo glasbene šole prevzame violinist, pevec in učitelj Jože Gregorc (1914–2003), čigar avtoriteta in vsestranska izobrazba dodata svežino v glasbeno šolstvo. Med drugim je bil dirigent orkestra, mešanega pevskega zbora in mestne godbe. Začetek druge svetovne vojne je prekinil lepe pesmi, ki so odzvanjale iz glasbene šole Ptuj. Gregorc je bil premeščen in nemška oblast je ukinila glasbeno šolo. Nemci so imeli v tem času svojo, tj. nemško glasbeno šolo, ki je bila odprta od 1941/42 do 1944/45. V tem obdobju je glasbena šola zaposlovala le nemške učitelje. Društvo Glasbena matica Ptuj je prenehalo delovati po devetnajstih letih uspešnega dela, l. 1941, hkrati z začetkom druge svetovne vojne.From 1922 until 1941 Ptuj Philharmonic Society (Glasbena matica) was the central musical institution of the town, uniting and managing the musical sphere. Besides managing the choir and organising the concerts, one of the most important concerns of the Philharmonic society was the music school, as its influence on the cultural and artistic growth of the local population was of great significance. The Philharmonic Society had its seat in the premises of the former Musikverein at Hrvaški trg (present Dravska ulica 11), whereas the lessons were also given at students\u27 residence and girls\u27 residental school Mladika (present Mladika elementary school). The first headmaster was Vaclav Engerer and the majority of the teaching staff was from the former music school. The school had a youth choir and a student\u27s orchestra. In the period between both Wars, the headmaster was the composer, violinist and pedagogue Karol Pahor (1896-1974). He worked in Ptuj from 1926 until 1930 and is considered the most meritorious of the period seeing that he concetrated on the expansion of programmes, modernization of curriculum, creation of youth, and mixed choirs, of the orchestra and school ensembles (piano trio), that often gave concerts. After Pahor had left his post, the new headmaster became Čenda Šedlbauer, an excellent cellist from Prague. In the 1930s music school organized artistic evening performance and cooperated in preparation of national, humanitarian and other high-profile events in town. Despite the financial difficulties, the school continued to grow, and maintained its good reputation. On the eve of war in 1940, the leadership oh the school was taken by a violinist, singer and pedagogue Jože Gregorc (1914–2003), whose authorithy and broad education gave a fresh impetus to the school. Among other things, he conducted an orchestra, a mixed choir, and the town band. However, the beginning of the World War II interrupted the succesful period. Gregorc was deported and the Nazi authorities cancelled the school. The Germans founded a new school that operated from the school year 1941/42 until 1944/45. In this period, the school predominantly employed the teachers of German nationality. Philharmonic Society Ptuj stop existing after 19 year old succesful period which is ending in 1941, when World War II started