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REVIEW
THE
VOL. 85. No. 15
Published Weekly. Federated Business Publications, Inc., 420 Lexington Ave., New York, N. Y., Oct. 8,1927
Umg
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What Children Think
Of Group Piano Instruction
Mrs. Ray Rector Bevitt, of Sherman, Clay & Co., San Francisco, Cal., De-
scribes the Reaction of the School Child to His or Her Piano Study—Thirty-
Two Out of Thirty-five Declare Piano Study Best Liked of All School Work
C
OMPARISON of the status of music in
the schools between the rote song period
and to-day's elaborate program of cho-
ruses, orchestras, bands and instrumental
classes as a part of the curriculum reveals that
music is recognized as a vital, educational sub-
ject.
Instrumental music has made its permanent
entrance into the regular schedule in many lo-
calities, and each year sees new schools provid-
ing such classes for the students, which are
largely responsible for a happier, livelier atmos-
phere in school life. It is a fact that children who
looked upon the routine of school with distaste
and even with protest changed their attitude
when orchestra playing was introduced. One
high school boy said: "If it were not for the
band and orchestra I would leave school."
These classes have been long accepted as a
prominent feature of school work, and have
proven their value in concerts and contests,
demonstrating that which at one time would
have been considered surprising efficiency; but
now we know it to be the normal capability of
the students. Educators are not underestimat-
ing the ability of children as much now as for-
merly, and arc discovering that musicianship
can be built upon familiarity only with the best
musical material. Therefore, the great masters
figure largely in the programs, and in this im-
pressionable period of the children's lives they
are absorbing the wondrous message of the
great composers, messages which will grow in
significance as experience of years expands the
perception.
Naturally, this desirable condition does not
always prevail. The movement is comparative-
ly young and it is not always possible to find
musicians for the work who are trained in
handling groups of children. But the increas-
ing number of teachers who are recognizing
the signs of the times and who see that within
the next decade most of the elementary teach-
ing of music will be done in the public schools
are taking up the necessary academic study to
supplement their musical attainments and are
identifying themselves with public school work.
Confidence in the future of class teaching is
well founded, but I wish to speak of the latest
instrument to enter into school classes—the
piano.
For a number of years the problem of piano
classes has occupied the minds of educators
all over the country. Here the greatest dif-
rhythm, but upon which the singer and most
instrumentalists depend for accompaniment, its
place in the schools is obviously indispensable.
Theoretical instruction is greatly facilitated by
the aid of the keyboard on account of the exact
spacing of the keys for intervals in the study
of harmony and the unvarying pitch for ear
training. The great colleges and conservatories
will grant no credentials to candidates for
honor in other instruments or voice without
I\/fRS.
BEVITT, the author of this arti- a certain amount of piano study, therefore the
*• *-*• cle, has done considerable promotion piano lies among all music study as the very
work for group piano instruction in the foundation.
There are many important considerations in
schools of the Pacific Coast under the aus-
pices of Sherman; Clay & Co. Her position the organization of piano classes in the schools.
The elements of music, being as easily taught
has given her a wonderful opportunity to in classes as in private lessons, economy of
judge the attitude of the child in regard to time and expense is obtained, and every child,
the piano, an attitude which is fundamental regardless of the financial circumstances of his
in the great campaign now being conducted parents, has the opportunity to acquire a cer-
by the industry for the promotion of piano tain degree of proficiency in playing, and as
time goes on we shall hear less and less the
instruction throughout the country.
The old plaint, "I always longed to play, but never
evidence she gives is of great value
had the chance, for we could not afford music
lessons." Whether a boy or a girl experts to
follow music into the advanced grades, the
appreciation acquired is worth all the effort.
ficulty of all presented itself, the instrument
The teaching of music appreciation through
being so distinctly of solo type. It was hard
the ear alone, no matter how thorough such
to disassociate it from traditional teaching of
teaching may be, listening to music of the talk-
children one by one. But there were men
ing machine, radio concerts, etc., cannot subdue
and women of vision, whose faith was large that natural desire to "do" instead of merely
and who knew the possibilities of children in
to listen. One man, in whose home is a won-
groups, and knowing the craving for self- derful reproducing piano, voiced the sentiment
expression through the keyboard to be their
of many children when he said: "I am not
greatest ally, gave themselves to most earnest
satisfied to just sit by and listen to those other
consideration of ways and means toward the
fellows doing the things I have always wanted
development of piano classes. The teaching of
to do myself. I want to learn to play." And
other instruments had already proven success- as the child learns to play his appreciation ex-
ful to a great extent; but that was com- pands unconsciously.
paratively easy, as each child had an instrument
Lessons, which are part of the school pro-
all to himself. But the piano was another
gram, are given during school hours, while
matter. Its importance, however, could not be
the mind is fresh, and the work is more in the
ignored. A complete music course is impossible nature of recreation than otherwise, because
without it. Being almost the only instrument
the eagerness of the children dispels all thought
which is complete in itself, independent of
of irksomeness.
others, expressing melody, harmony and
(Continued on page 4)