Southeast Symphony Association Records

Collection

Identifier: SPC-2021-030

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Southeast Symphony Association (SESA) Records (1967-2019) comprises of record books; photo albums; panoramas; organizational records; concert programs, flyers, and posters; magazines; and newspaper clippings concerning SESA, the SESA Conservatory, the Symphonettes Guild, and the Southeast Symphony Orchestra.

Dates

1967-2019

Creator

Chester, Patsy F. (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

There are no access restrictions on this collection.

Conditions Governing Use

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Archives and Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical materials and not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

History of Southeast Symphony Association, Inc.

A music teacher named Mabel Massengill Gunn gathered her colleagues and founded the Southeast Symphony around 1948 in an area southeast of downtown Los Angeles. It was created as a way to provide a space primarily for Black musicians and their students so they could learn orchestral repertoire and ensemble performance as well as prepare for meaningful careers outside of the orchestra. Kenneth Hahn, a prominent member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, was one of the Southeast Symphony’s chief supporters and it wouldn't be long until it became an official non-profit organization, known today as the Southeast Symphony Association (SESA), in 1958. Throughout its more than 70 years of existence, SESA has been a vital training ground for many Black musicians of all ages who have aspired to perform orchestral music.

Other groups formed within the organization include the Symphonettes Guild in 1989 and the SESA Conservatory in 1995. The SESA Conservatory is a Saturday program offered in cooperation with the Los Angeles Unified School District and is designed to offer instruction in instrumental music to students from 3rd grade to high school. The Symphonettes Guild was founded under the sponsorship of former President Dr. Jacqueline Broussard and comprises of professional women who pledge to come together in support SESA and serve as a fundraising entity.

Extent

24 boxes

1 folder : (1 oversize folder)

23.43 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Arrangement

The Southeast Symphony Association (SESA) Records are arranged topically into four series. The Southeast Symphony Association, Inc. is the main organization that has established and helped to oversee community-driven programs, such as the Symphonettes Guild, the SESA Conservatory, and the Southeast Symphony Orchestra. Materials within each folder are arranged chronologically.

Southeast Symphony Association (SESA) Records Series Titles

Southeast Symphony Association, Inc., 1967-2019, undated
Symphonettes Guild, 1989-2002, undated
SESA Conservatory, 1995-2019, undated
Southeast Symphony Orchestra, 1974-2019, undated

Sacred Music Collection

This collection is part the Sacred Music Collection, also known as the Georgia and Nolan Payton Archive of Sacred Music, and is associated with the African Diaspora of Sacred Music and Musicians (ADSMM) program. The Sacred Music Collection is made up of smaller collections that contain various primary source materials, such as sheet music, books, periodicals, photographs, audio visual materials, manuscripts, and more. ADSMM’s mission is to facilitate research, preserve, and make accessible collections documenting the lives of important figures within the sacred music community as well as its influence primarily within the Los Angeles Black community.

Interested in accessing other Sacred Music collections? If you would like to view these materials in-person, please make an appointment through the Gerth Archives and Special Collections website. If you would like to view these materials online, please visit the the Sacred Music Digital Collections Database website. Please keep in mind that some of the materials in our archival collections are still in the process of being digitized and are therefore not yet available to the public.