From the beginning Dwight was intimately connected with the Harvard
Musical Association, which has done so much to promote the interests of
music in Boston. He was its first vice-president and chairman of its board
of directors. He was active in providing its meetings with attractive
musical programmes; about 1844 he secured for it a series of chamber
concerts; he took part in procuring the building of Music Hall, and in
bringing to it the great organ which was for many years an attraction.
From 1855 to 1873 he continuously filled the position of vice-president of
the association; and in the latter year was elected president, which place
he held until his death. Beginning about 1850 he worked steadily for
securing a good musical library, that should be as nearly complete as
possible; and his desire was to make this a special feature in the
activities of the association. In 1867 a room was secured for it; and in
1869 a suite of rooms was rented for the gatherings, both social and
musical, of the members of the association. On his election as president,
Dwight went to live in those rooms, cared for the library, and received
the members and guests of the association whenever they chose to frequent
them. This was in Pemberton Square; but in 1886 there was a removal to
Park Square, and another in 1892 to West Cedar Street. Dwight's connection
of forty or fifty years with the Harvard Musical Association was most
intimate, so that he and the association came to be almost identical in
the minds of Boston people. Whatever it accomplished was through his
initiative or with his active cooperation.

In 1865 Dwight proposed the organization of a Philharmonic Society among
the members of the association, and also that a series of concerts be
undertaken. This suggestion was carried out, and the concerts were for
many years very successful. In time their place was taken by the concerts
of Theodore Thomas, and the Symphony Concerts generously sustained by Mr.
H.L. Higginson; but it must be recognized that Dwight and the Harvard