Duquesne University Tamburitzans | Historic Pittsburgh

1935/1980

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Title
Duquesne University Tamburitzans
Identifier
MSP285.B003.F17.I03
Source Identifier
MSP285.B003.F17.I03
Description
In 1932 Dr. A. Lester Pierce brought a trio of tamburitza players to Saint Thomas College in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and offered them work scholarships. They referred to themselves as the “Saint Thomas Tamburitza Trio” and in 1933-1934 after two more people joined them, they formed the “Balkan Artist’s Troupe.” In 1934 Dr. Pierce took seven of these tamburitza players with him to Saint Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, where they formed the “Saint Edward’s University Players.” In 1935 the group was joined by Matt L. Gouze and others and changed its name to the “American Tamburitza String Orchestra.” During the 1936-1937 season, Dr. Pierce realized that Pittsburgh offered a multi-lingual, multi-cultural community that would be beneficial for the continuing success of the group. He negotiated successfully with Duquesne University, with assistance from the administrators of the Croatian Fraternal Union, and moved the Saint Edward’s players to Pittsburgh. At this point, the group changed its name to the “Slavonic Tamburitza Orchestra.” During the 1941-1942 season, the group changed its name again to the “Duquesne University Tamburitza Orchestra.” During the World War II years, a Duquesne University newspaper reporter began referring to the tamburitza players as the “Tamburitzans,” the name that has stayed with this group to the present day. The Duquesne University Tamburitzans, the longest-running multicultural song and dance company in the United States, is dedicated to the performance and preservation of the songs, music, and dances of Eastern Europe and neighboring countries.
Genre
photographs
Subject
Duquesne University Tamburitzans.
Folk dance--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh.
Source
Allegheny Conference on Community Development Photographs, 1892-1981, MSP 285, Library and Archives Division, Senator John Heinz History Center
Contributor
Detre Library & Archives, Heinz History Center
Collection
Allegheny Conference on Community Development Photographs
Rights Information
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