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MUSICAL MERCHANDISE
Conducted By Thomas W. Bresnahan
National High School Orchestra Big
Feature of the Supervisors' Conference
Organization, With 311 Members, Representing Thirty-nine States, Appears in
Remarkable Concert During Chicago Conference
p i H I C A G O , ILL., April 23.—One of the out-
^ ^ standing events of the annual convention
of ftie National Music Supervisors' Conference,
held last week, at the Hotel Stevens, was a
concert of the National High School Orches-
tra, at the Auditorium, and broadcast over
KYW and associated radio stations Wednes-
day night, April 18.
This National High School Orchestra is made
up of players in school bands and orchestras
recruited from thirty-nine States. There were
by actual count at roll call 311 participants,
ranging in ages from thirteen to twenty years,
in the concert, one of the largest companies of
instrumentalists ever assembled for a concert.
Frederick Stock, of the Chicago Symphony
Orchestra, was the conductor.
In this great orchestra of over 300 per-
formers there were more than 100 violins,
twenty violas and 'cellos, twenty-eight bass
violins, fourteen flutes, twelve oboes, sixteen
clarinets, fourteen trombones, twelve harps, ten
French horns and a corresponding complement
of saxophones and other brass, woodwind and
instruments of percussion.
Assisting Mr. Stock were Howard Hanson,
of the Eastman School of Music, Rochester,
N. Y., and J. E. Maddy, head of the public
school music department, University School
of Music, Ann Arbor, Mich. Soloist with the
orchestra was Frances Hall.
The program included "New World Sym-
phony," Dvorak; "Valse Des Fleurs," from the
"Nutcracker Suite," Tschaikowsky; "Nordic"
Symphony, Second Movement," Hanson; Con-
certo in A Minor, Grieg; Overture, "Rienzi,"
Wagner.
The concert was a striking demonstration
focusing public attention upon the advance of
musical interest in the public schools of the
nation, and it was an event of encouragement
to the sponsor of the concert, the National
Musical Merchandise Association. The per-
formance itself was remarkable.
Smedley Harmonica Band
Proves a Big Success
capes and white military caps made of paste-
board. This outfit made a very impressive
showing. After they had played at the Rotary
Club luncheon that organization purchased new
caps for the band, beautiful white linen caps
with a red band and white visors.
The concerts gave great advertising. Some
of the other places they have played are Mili-
tary Day parade in Chester, the opening of the
Aberfoyle Country Club, the P. O. S. of A.,
the Odd Fellows, the Tall Cedars of Lebanon,
the Masons, Drexel Institute, Philadelphia;
churches both Sunday and week-days, Wom-
en's Club, Kiwanis and many schools for
parent-teachers' associations.
At the annual contest for harmonica bands
in Philadelphia they won a silver cup, the third
prize. In December, 1927, the first anniversary
concert was attended by over 1,000 people.
Among the numbers on the program were the
march from "Aida," "El Miserere" from "II
Trovatorc," "Bells of St. Mary" and selection
from "Rigoletto." The members of the band
at present number thirty-eight qualified play-
ers and ten on the waiting list who are work-
ing to become more perfect in their playing
that they may pass the examination which will
permit them to join the band.
Two Years' Experience Make It Outstanding
Musical Feature of Chester, Pa.—Its For-
mation and Its Progress
CHESTER, PA., April 23.—The Harmonica Band
of Smedley Junior High School of Chester,
under the leadership of Harry W. Naulty, has
a membership of thirty-eight boys and girls,
and was organized in November, 1926. This
organization took place after a, demonstration
Smedley Harmonica Orchestra
in the auditorium of the Smedley School by
Fred Sonnen, and an impressive talk by Albert
N. Hoxie on "What the Harmonica Can Do for
Boys and Girls." After satisfactory arrange-
ments the first lesson was given to a class of
over 400 boys and girls. This class progressed
very rapidly and formed a band. Harry W.
Naulty, a teacher in the Smedley Junior High,
brought the advanced students together and
taught them. In order to encourage this move-
ment Mr. Hoxie consented to bring the Phila-
delphia Harmonica Band to Chester for a con-
cert. Nine hundred tickets were sold. It was
a great success and an inspiration to all.
From this time on the band worked continu-
ously for days and weeks until finally it was
invited to play outside of the school. The first
appearance was in uniform as follows: Girls,
black shoes, white stockings and white skirts;
boys, black shoes, white pants and both boys
and girls red vest with white cross-belts, red
It is very interesting to know that although
all the boys and girls of the band are not the
brightest .students in school they arc doing
greater things and know more about music than
they did before they joined. This is proven by
the fact that since they have joined the band
six students have taken up the study of other
musical instruments.
Eddie Peabody Is
Big Feature Act
Vega Artist to Appear at Loew's State Theatre,
San Francisco, for Rest of the Season
BOSTON, MASS., April 21.—Eddie Peabody,
whose "Banjomania" act is well known, and
who recently opened a season at Loew's State
Theatre, in San Francisco, under the most de-
Setting for Peabody Act
lightful auspices, has signed a contract to ap-
pear at this house which will keep him there
all the rest of the season. This act, of which
a picture is herewith given, uses 500 incandes-
cent lights, and when it is disclosed at each
performance is greeted with great enthusiasm.
Eddie has with him a dozen accomplished
players all using Vega banjos.
The accompanying picture was brought back
by Mr. Nelson, of the Vega Co., who has just
completed a two months' trip, and while away
he traveled from Chicago to New Orleans on
the south, and from Boston to San Francisco
on the west. While on the coa,st Mr. Nelson
spent considerable time with Eddie Peabody,
at whose beautiful home at Beverley Hills,
Cal., he was handsomely entertained. The set-
ting in which Eddie and his co-workers appear
is one of the most elaborate ones ever seen
on the Coast.
M. Goldsmith's Music Co., Brooklyn, N. Y.,
has been incorporated with a capital stock of
$1,000 to engage in a general retail music busi-
ness. E. J. Gantly, of New York, is named
as sole incorporator.
GffETscH
MUSICAL MERCHANDISE
MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MAKERS
SINCE 1883
The Fred GretschMfeCa
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