Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
AUGUST 20, 1927
The Music Trade Review
Milwaukee Dealers Forecast Heavy
Band Instrument Demand in the Fall
Activity in This Line One of the Most Pronounced Features of That City's Music
Trade at the Present Time—Northwestern Band Competition
1LWAUKEE, WIS., August 15.—Band in-
strument business has been outstanding in
Milwaukee and there are good reports concern-
ing this line of business from all parts of the
State, according to Milwaukee music dealers
and managers of band instrument departments.
A. J. Niemiec, manager of the band instru-
ment department of the Flanner-Hafsoos Music
House, Inc., reports exceptional activity in
Conn instruments during the past two weeks,
and an interest in band instruments and music
which points to one of the biggest Fall seasons
in the business. Mr. Niemiec also stated that
the Flanner-Hafsoos Co. has appointed sub-
agents in Milwaukee for the distribution of
C. G. Conn band instruments. They are Wil-
liam Thieck and H. Becklin, who have incor-
porated and opened up a music store and music
studios at 429 Twelfth street, in one ot Mil-
waukee's western business districts. Mr. Thieck
was a player in the Minneapolis Symphony for
six years, and at one time he played in the Los
Angeles Symphony. He is recognized as one of
the world's premier cornetists, and he has been
a successful teacher and director of bands in the
community about Milwaukee. The new store
which Mr. Thieck and Mr. Becklin have opened
will feature Conn band instruments exclusively
and will combine teaching interest and studio
work with merchandising.
Flanner-Hafsoos is now featuring a special
window display of Conn metal clarinets and the
number of people who have become interested
in this display has formed a good source of
prospects for the new instruments.
Mr. Niemiec attended the Northwestern
Band Association's annual tournament at Water-
loo, Wis., and he points out that the Granton
Band, which took second place in the contest,
and which was conducted by Dr. Frank Mayr,
was entirely equipped with Conn instruments,
and that the Johnson Creek Band, which took
first place in the Class B competition, and
which was directed by Stuart Anhalt, had 90
per cent of its equipment as Conn manufacture.
"We took special pride in the Granton Band
because its leader is our Conn agent, and the
showing which it made in the competition
brought out the instruments especially well,"
said Mr. Niemiec. "Probably none of the band
tournaments which have been held in the State
were as successful as this one, which attracted
750 players and from fifteen to eighteen thou-
sand people. We displayed a complete line of
Conn instruments with all the finishes in silver
and gold to these throngs, and the new Conn
metal clarinet was the center of attraction with
the musicians.
"Beside this display and its value in adver-
tising the line, meeting these musicians lias
proved a very valuable experience from a busi-
ness viewpoint," Mr. Niemiec continued. "It
gives the merchandiser the viewpoint of these
musicians and makes contacts which are very
helpful."
•Vesey Walker, manager of the band instru-
ment department of the Kesselman-O'Driscoll
Co. store, was one of the judges of the North-
western competition, together with H. C.
Taylor, of Milwaukee, and Peter Michelson, of
Richland Center. Mr. Walker has also been
requested to act as judge at the band tourna-
ment at Chilton, Wis., on September 4.
'
"The interest in band instruments shown in
these musical competitions is one of the most
telling signs of the development of the busi-
ness," declared Mr. Walker. "The people who
play in the contests are interested in better
instruments, and those who make up the audi^-
ence become sold on the idea of playing an
instrument themselves.
"Another factor which seems very encourag-
ing is the interest of the State in bands, and
the fact that an appropriation of $10,000 has
been made to create a band is very gratifying.
Five thousand dollars will go to the Racine
Drum Corps and $5,000 to an American Legion
all-State band. When there is legislation in
favor of bands we have a great deal of physical
and moral support for the business," concluded
Mr. Walker, who is a successful merchandiser
of Buescher instruments.
Numerous bands from cities through Wis-
consin and other States visited Milwaukee
during the national convention of Eagles,
which met here during the second week in
August. Members of these bands, and par-
ticularly of the bands from nearby Wisconsin
towns, visited the local music stores in large
numbers asking to see the new instruments
of the various lines and hearing demonstra-
tions, which the dealers gladly gave.
One dealer, in commenting on these visits
and on the appearance of these bands in parade,
pointed out that they represented a field which
has as yet been little developed by music
merchants, namely, that of organizing bands
for fraternal societies. While there has been
considerable of this work done, and more of
it is being accomplished all the time, there is
still room for great improvement in working
this field, he pointed out, as every fraternal
organization or branch of the organization in
towns and cities all over the country make
these prospects, and when this picture is
brought forth it is evident that comparatively
little has been done in selling these prospects
on the idea of forming bands. If every dealer
would set out to sell only one organization
in his town a band it would result in a great
amount of business, not only in their orders of
instruments, but in servicing the organization,
and in instructing them, if the dealer wished,
he pointed out.
Bands will play an important part in the
reception for Col. Charles A. Lindbergh, who
will be in Milwaukee August 20 and 21. Hugh
Randall, president of the J. B. Bradford Piano
Co., is chairman of the committee in charge
of the band, and he announces that a number
of bands of fraternal organizations and business
houses have already offered their services.
BACON
BANJOS
Played by Leading
Musicians and Orchestras
G" N NAZARETH,PA. S b
&f,,WiW,,-./ ion
Sold by Representative
Music Merchants
Genuine MARTIN Guitars.
Mandolins, Ukulele*. 1 ipies
BACON BANJO CO., Inc.
GROTON, CONN.
C ' NAZARETH,PA X )
D
DURRO
VIOLINS
BOWS
STRINGS
AND
STEWART
BANJOS
MANDOLINS
GUITARS
Largest Wholesale
Musical Merchandise
House in America
OLIVER DITSON CQ
BOSTON, AIAS3
D
2)
Importers »ni Jefcbcrw •(
MUSICAL
MERCHANDISE
Attractive Specialties
Modern S e r v i c e
BITABLIIH1D ISM
Buegeleisen & Jacobson
5-7-9 Union Sauare
SEW YORK
Genuine Rogers "Quality brands"
were given Medal and highest
awards over all others.
Black Diamond
Strings
Five grades to select from, cheapest
to the very best.
THE WORLD'S BEST
Banjo and Drum Heads
White calf
heavy.
in thin, medium and
Joseph Rogers, Jr., & Son
National Musical String Co.
Fanniagdale, N. J.
New Brunswick, N. J.