Music Trade Review

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CILMAN
CATCHES 'EM
YOUNG
By CHAS. B. BARR
This Connecticut Dealer Finds the Youngsters Most
Responsive to the Appeal of Personal Performance
T
HE modern music dealer must concentrate his efforts on
selling instruments to the children if his business is to
prosper, in the opinion of Joseph Gilman, veteran Bridge-
port, Conn., merchant who started twenty-'five years ago "on
a package of strings," as he put it, and today is proprietor of
one of the largest music establishments in his city.
"The older people are living in an automatic age," Mr.
Gilman says. "They want everything quick and easy. It is
far simpler to turn a switch than to learn to play a musical
instrument, and there is a regrettable tendency to depend
GILMAN'S ATTRACTIVE STORE
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW,
March,
1931
entirely on the
radio and phono-
graph for music in
the home."
JOSEPH G'LMAN
Mr. Gilman has
had notable success in building up trade among children
through his efforts in the public school system. As a former
teacher himself, he understands the problems which beset the
profession of music instruction and has worked unceasingly
to promote co-operation between the teachers and himself. He
does not believe in high-pressure methods of obtaining school
business, realizing that the average parent of a public school
child is unable to spend a large amount on music ins:
on.
Working through local music teachers and the musical
supervisors of individual schools, the Bridgeport dealer has
been instrumental in the formation of a number of musical
organizations in the schools. Awakening public interest in
home-produced music in a broad sense rather than the sale of
a definite number oi instruments has been his goal.
One major problem besetting Bridgeport music dealers is
the fact that the city will not appropriate public funds for
the purchase of instruments, thus placing the burden of pro-
viding equipment for school bands and orchestras on the pupils
and their parents. The only assistance that can be secured
from the city is the sanctioning of rehearsals in school build-
ings and, in some cases, allotment of time therefor.
The first step in attempting to develop a band or orchestra
in a given school, according to Mr. Gilman, is to obtain the
approval and aid of the school music supervisor. Once this
has been done, and the number of candidates for the orchestra
determined, the next step is to secure a suitable teacher. Fees,
which are paid by the pupils, must necessarily be small. With
a fairly large group of students, a charge of 10 to 25 cents
apiece per rehearsal will pay for the teacher's time.
It is customary for the children to buy their own music.
Inasmuch as the types of instruments will vary widely in al-
most all cases, it is desirable to secure music specially arranged
for school use, with parts for almost all instruments.
Sale of small, inexpensive instruments to children is espe-
cially stressed by the Gilman organization. Mr. Gilman be-
lieves in building for the future, and cites many instances
where a child who started with a fife or some similar inex-
pensive instrument has in later years graduated to a more
(Please turn to page 41)
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