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Musical Merchandise Section oi The Music Trade Review
Issues Book of Information on
School Band Contests for 1930
' T H E National Bureau for the Advancement
•*• of Music has just published its sixth annual
yearbook of the state and national school band
contests—the booklet containing the rules, con-
test lists and general information for 1930.
With its eighty pages, including the pictures
of sixty-six bands which won first place in the
different classes of the contest last spring, it
is in marked contrast with the first of the
series, issued in 1924, and which contained but
eight pages. The difference in size is a reflec-
tion of the growth of the movement, which has
spread rapidly in all sections of the country
since the first five states were organized six
years ago. The 1929 contests were held in
thirty-seven states and had a total participation
of 650 bands with some 33,000 players. Present
plans are developing so well for next year's
contests, according to C. M. Tremaine, director
of the Bureau, thai it is probable that nearly
all the states in the Union will be organized
for the meets.
The growth of this activity moreover has
been solid as well as extensive, for each year
lias seen a distinct increase in the participation
within the states. Illinois is a case in point.
There were seven entries in that state in 1924
and ninety-two in 1929. This increase, which
lias been as great relatively in a number of
ether states, is due largely to the establishment
of preliminary district contests in various
localities preceding the state finals and bringing
the benefits of the work to the smaller and
financially weaker bands as well as to those in
the more populous centers.
There is no question but what the contests
have been a large factor in the expansion of
school instrumental music systems, which has
been so marked during the past few years.
Everywhere they are leading to the establish-
ment of new bands and the improvement of
those already in existence. Mr. Tremaine re-
ceives many letters from band leaders and
school superintendents indicating such advances
as a result of the contest stimulus.
Another important function of the movement
is to arouse greater public recognition and sup-
port for school instrumental music, and here,
too, much has already been achieved. Such
public recognition leads in turn to greater
credit for music in the schools, more time for
rehearsal (including school time) and the
higher standards of equipment which are pos-
sible when there is even a modest sum available
from school or other funds to provide the more
unusual instruments. Sometimes it is the glory
of having had its band win a contest which in-
spires a community to see that its needs are
adequately met in the future, but, on the other
hand, such efforts are often prompted by defeat
or a low ranking. In any event the comparison
with other bands is not only valuable from an
educational point of view to the players and
their directors but also, though for somewhat
different reasons, to P.T.A.'s., Rotary Clubs and
other local organizations.
The contests will continue to be conducted
as heretofore under the auspices of the Com-
mittee on Instrumental Affairs of the Music
Supervisors National Conference in coopera-
tion with the National Bureau for the Advance-
ment of Music. Mr. Tremaine is secretary of
the Committee and so is in a position to render
the contests distinctly helpful to the trade as
well as to the schools. The funds for prizes
are furnished by the School Band .Contest Sup-
porting Committee of the music industry,
whose membership consists of the following
firms: C. G. Conn, Ltd., Buescher Band Instru-
ment Co., Ludwig & Ludwig, Leedy Manufac-
turing Co., Pan-American Band Instrument &
Case Co., Elkhart Band Instrument Co., Con-
tinental Music Co.
Dealers desiring the yearbook may obtain it
free in single copies by writing C. M. Tremaine,
45 West 45th street, New York. In addition
to the information pertaining only to the con-
tests, there is considerable other material in the
book which will be helpful to those generally
interested in the development of school bands.
Business on Higher Plane
Declares David L. Day
Junction City, Wis., School Band, Jerome
Ware.
Petersburg, W. Va., Town Band, A. F. Yutzy.
Harlan, Ky., School Band.
Bloomington, Ind., American Legion State
Band, Raymond Fuson.
Petersburg, W. Va., Boys' Cadet Band.
Shadyside, O., Community Band, Frank Nel-
son.
West Palm Beach, Fla., West Palm Beach
Band, Caesar La Monaca.
Miami, Fla., University of Miami Symphony
Orchestra, Arnold Volpe.
Tampa, Fla., Tampa Symphony Orchestra,
Alfred Resch.
Lima, N. Y., Boys' Band, Win. McLaughlin.
Maysville, Ky., Boyer's Orchestra, C. E.
Boyer.
Lake Worth, Fla., Boys' Band, George Hulme.
Trafford, Pa., Drum and Bugle Corps, Stan-
ford Weight.
Plymouth, O., Community Band, R. R. Miller.
New Brighton, Pa., New Brighton Concert
Band, Louis A. Morrow.
Georgetown, Ky., Drum and Bugle Corps,
Ford Nunnelly.
Homestead, Fla., Juvenile Orchestra, Mrs. G.
I. Gault.
Ft. Myers, Fla., Junior Band, Frank Sturchio.
Huntington, W. Va., Fife and Drum Corps,
A. E. Haan.
Charleroi, Pa., "Blue Par-a-Dice" Orchestra,
Anthony Sewell.
Swanton, O., High School Band, Robert Mi-
chail.
Wheeling, W. Va., Y. M. C. A. Boys' Orches-
tra, Francis Nolan.
David L. Day, general manager of the Bacon
Banjo Co., believes that the turn in the trade
has come and that 1930 will be a year of better
business. He says:
"It looks as if the depression which the music
business has gone under during the past two
years, reached its lowest point the past sum-
mer. We are pleased to state in our line there
seemed to be a decided change about the sev-
enth of September, since which time there has
been a splendid improvement. In fact the past
month has been our best month for over two
years, and is the first month when our sales
have equaled those of any month, that is the
same month of the previous year since 1926. It
is most gratifying to report that the sales on the
higher grade instruments has been coming
through splendidly, and this makes it so much
more profitable for the dealers and teachers as
well as ourselves. It puts the business on a
higher plane and cannot help but be the means
of more and better sales in the future. We
are looking forward to better times for the
coming year."
Recent New Bands and
Orchestras Formed
Tampa, Fla., Police Band, James F. Doyle.
Shawano, Wis., Juvenile Band, John Rezatto.
Rockville, Conn., Drum and Bugle Corps.
Lockport, N. Y., Symphony Orchestra, Stuart
Dussault.
Montague, Mich., School Band, Louis Peter-
son.
Phoenixville, Pa., High School Band, C. E.
Coyne.
Wilmington, O., Municipal Band, Edwin
Bath.
St. Cloud, Fla., St. Cloud Band, J. B. Ellis.
Profit by Experience
Says Fred Gretsch
Fred Gretsch, head of the Fred Gretsch Mfg.
Co. and president of the National Musical Mer-
chandise Association, believes that by careful
study of conditions as they have existed and
developed during the past year will prove of
great value to the members of the small goods
trade in meeting the problems of the near
future, and in this connection says.
"In view of the changed conditions in the
music business, it behooves the trade at this
season of the year to take stock of the things
that have affected us in the past year, and to
look forward to the year 1930 with the idea in
mind to remedy some of the causes that have
adversely affected us.
"That the radio has hurt the small-goods
business, there can be little doubt, but that this
is only a temporary condition, is universally
conceded. I personally believe that it is creat-
ing a larger and better interest in music that
will have its effect in years to come. Ameri-
cans, to my mind, in the past could never be
considered a musical people. A good prize-
fight has always in the past turned out a far
greater crowd than the finest Symphony Or-
chestra. This, I believe, is changing, and there
is an ever-increasing interest in better music
throughout this country.
"Another contributing factor is the movie-
tone, which I believe is also a temporary con-
dition. Even today, you can notice that at the
theatres where there are no orchestras, there
are always plenty of vacant seats, while the
theatres such as Roxy, Paramount and the Cap-
ital, where they have fine orchestras, are always
crowded to the doors. I believe that competi-
tion in the theatrical field will force managers
to put their orchestras back, as soon as the
craze and novelty of the talking picture has run
its course. Music dealers throughout the coun-
try can do much, by calling the public's atten-
tion to the fine orchestras to be heard in some
of the leading theatres in their town.
"Another important factor that will certainly
help our business in the future is the tremen-
dous school interest throughout the country.
The leading educators in the country have
found that orchestras and bands are a great
factor in training children, keeping them out of
mischief and adding much to their happiness
and contentment.
"All in all, it seems to me that we have a
most promising year ahead of us."
Playasaxes Are Popular
in Philadelphia Trade
PHILADELPHIA, PA.—Playasaxes have been the
outstanding of the novelties that appear in the
Philadelphia music stores and music depart-
ments of the larger department stores and radio
and talking machine houses. The Quaker City
branch of the QRS-Devry Corp. has been
tripling shipments from the factory through-
out the past month as the trade finds the new-
est novelty a huge seller. There has been n
heavy demand from the music and talking ma-
chine and radio trades for the QRS-De Vry
Corp. moving picture cameras, these having
been added as side lines in many instances with
great success.