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JUNE 30, 1928
The Music Trade Review
Third Detroit Piano
Playing Contest Closes
Helen Van Loon First Prize Winner in High School Group —
Samuel Sorin in Intermediate Group and Edward
Tabaczuk in the Elementary Group of Event
ETROIT, MICH., June 23.—The Third Annual Greater Detroit Piano Playing Contest
came to a close on Tuesday evening of this week when eighteen youngsters participated
in the final tests held in the auditorium of the Detroit Institute of Art to determine
winners of the city from among some 21,000 contestants.
The winners were: In the high school group, Helen Van Loon, 16 years old, 209 Tyler avenue,
a student of the Highland Park High School; in the intermediate group, Samuel Sorin, 13 years
old, 83 Richton avenue, of the Highland Park
Intermediate; in the elementary group Ed-
ward Tabaczuk, 12 years old, 12920 Joseph
Campau avenue, of the Davidson School. Miss
Van Loon is a pupil of Bendetson Netzorg,
Samuel Sorin of Mark Gunzburg, and Edward
Tabaczuk of K. Obencny.
In addition to receiving the figurative laurel
wreaths as the city's most accomplished juvenile
pianists, each winner was presented with a
grand piano, the gift of the Detroit Music
Trades Association, under whose auspices the
contests are held. Thomas Boston was director
of the contest and Frank J. Bayley chairman
of the association's committee in charge of the
activity.
The contest has been conducted in three
phases. First school champions were selected
in 503 schools in the entire metropolitan area
which includes twenty-one towns and cities.
These school champions then competed in 141
districts and from these semi-final contests de-
termined the eighteen finalists who competed
last night.
The judges for the final contest were: Lewis
Richards, head of the music department of the
Frank J. Bayley
Michigan State College; Mrs. Therese von
Nostitz Mueller, pianist and teacher of Bay City, perative to the study of music that no conserva-
and Albert Lpckwood, head of the piano de- tory in Europe nor America will give a diploma
partment of the University School of Music in except on completion of two years required
work on the piano. I am reliably informed that
Ann Arbor.
About four hours were occupied by the final in France it is obligatory to devote two years
contest, each participant playing two selections. to the piano prior to public performance on the
The occasion opened with the singing of bass-drum. The piano is the only instrument
"America," led by Mr. Boston. An interesting upon which rhythm, harmony and modulation,
feature of the program was the "Kindergarten the primary elements of music, can be produced
Group," in which three tiny children played at once, and the relationship studied. Just
simple music with surprising skill. Eada Joy attempt to whistle or sing the compositions
Rubenstein, not yet six years old, and the oldest shortly to be rendered by these expert fingers
of the three, was deemed winner by the judges, and note how inadequate the voice or a minor
although no prize was awarded. The others instrument by itself is for musical expression
were Jeanne Louise Krumweide and Marianna or study.
"Scarcely a musician or composer of note the
Van Loon.
At the conclusion of the contest the winners past one hundred and fifty years but who has
were presented to the audience. Judith Sidor- had at least a good working knowledge of the
sky, who won the 1926 contest, and Leah Zagal, pianoforte. The piano has a greater range than
last year's winner, also came out and made their a symphony orchestra, and all compositions are
first reduced to and worked out on the piano.
bows.
The final contest was opened by Frank J. The piano, being able to produce the four major
Bayley who told of the growth of the piano harmonies simultaneously, is thus complete in
playing contest, of its official endorsement by itself and because of this distinction is the solo
the school authorities, city officials and the instrument of the artist, and the instrument of
leading civic and musical organizations, and of complement to the voice and all other instru-
the steps made to establish it as a permanent ments. It thus is the common, the one instru-
feature. In fact, the Detroit Board of Educa- ment used almost universally in the production
tion is already prepared to print the plans for of all music; without the piano or some one to
the 1929 contest, with all the cities in Michigan play it we are lost."
invited to participate with the twenty-one towns
that took part this year. This will make it "The Nifty Three" Now
really a state contest.
In declaring that the purpose of the contest
Recording for Columbia
was to arouse a greater interest in music and
particularly the piano as the basic instrument,
Columbia's newest popular recording vocal-
Mr. Bayley said: "The piano needs no champion ists are "The Nifty Three," a novelty trio com-
in the face of this tremendous demonstration of prising soprano, tenor and baritone. They were
its popularity. However, let us pause for a organized by Dale Wimbrow, composer and Co-
moment and attempt to analyze the reasons. lumbia artist himself, and had not existed a
The piano is so universally recognized as im- month as a group before they were accepted
D
11
for broadcasting by WOR, key station of the
Columbia Broadcasting System, and had
also made their first record. The record, just
out, couples two Wimbrow songs: "From Mid-
night Till Dawn" and "Sleepy Town," with
novel harmonic features.
Clark Music Co. Pleased
With Broadcasting Results
Prominent Syracuse Music House Has Put
Excellent Programs on the Air Weekly for
Two Years With Excellent Returns
SYRACUSE, N. Y., June 22.—The Clark Music
Co., after an experience of two years in broad-
casting concerts over the radio at regular in-
tervals, is firmly convinced of the value of this
means of publicity for the music store, and the
company's programs have been of a nature that
have attracted much favorable attention to the
music house and its work.
Each Tuesday evening the Clark Music Co.
sends out a program direct from its own studio,
located on the main floor of its store, the pro-
gram being put on the air through Station
WSYR of the Hotel Syracuse. On Thursday
evening a similar program is sent out from the
studio of Station WFBL of the Onondaga Ho-
tel.
During the past few months the company has
arranged and sponsored several programs which
have been carried over the New York State net-
work of broadcasting stations, which include
WMAK, Buffalo; WHAM, Rochester, and
WGY, Schenectady. The programs are pre-
sented from WFBL of Syracuse, and rank
among the finest sent out from any of the sta-
tions on the chain.
Many special features in broadcasting have
been sponsored by the Clark Music Co., such
as the Syracuse Composers' Scries, the "Who's
Who Among Syracuse Music Teachers" Series,
on which the most talented pupils of the fine
music teachers of the city are featured, and
other interesting programs. These features
have attracted wide attention and have brought
most favorable comments from all parts of the
United States and Canada.
On Saturday evening, June 2, Clark Music Co.
sponsored a program given over the New York
State chain of stations, and on this particular
program it brought before the microphone
two of the finest young artists in this part of
the State, Miss Grace Weymer, concert harpist,
and Mary Becker, violinist and pianist. Miss
Weymer has appeared in most of the prominent
cities in the United States with the Salzedo
Harp Ensemble, and plays one of the finest
concert harps in America, costing nearly $3,000,
which was especially selected for her by Mel-
ville Clark, at the Lyon & Healy factory, in
Chicago.
Mary Becker, who did both violin and piano
solos on the program, is very well known in
musical circles in central New York. She re-
cently graduated from Syracuse University in
both violin and piano, something which has
never been accomplished by any other student
at the university. She has appeared as soloist
with many fine musical organizations. She
is the daughter and pupil of Prof. Conrad
Becker, who for many years, has been head of.
the violin department at Syracuse University.
The program gives some idea of the type of
musical entertainment provided over the radio
by the Clark Co., which has resulted in many
messages of appreciation from all sections of
central New York, and the development of
many friends for the house, a fact evidenced in
a tangible way in sales. It is the plan of the
company to continue its broadcast work in-
definitely, not only for publicity purposes, but
as a means of introducing to the music lovers
of the State young artists of promise.
Consult the Universal Want Directory ot
The Review,