Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
Established 1879
Vol. 104, No. 10
REVIEW
2789th Issue
October, 1945
THE PIONEER PUBLICATION OF THE MUSIC INDUSTRY
Piano Teaching in a Democracy
Should Have Universal Appeal
by DR. RAYMOND BURROWS
Professor Musical Education, Teachers College, Columbia
University, New York
FTER generations of subservience to Euro-
pean tradition, American piano teachers are
beginning to recognize new goals which are
consistent with modern educational philos-
ophy, and to lead the way in the develop-
ment of a world culture based on democratic princples.
Formerly the piano teacher was proud of high standards
which turned away all but the most talented students.
Today he is wondering whether the inability to meet the
needs of all types of students is a shortcoming rather
than a virtue.
A few years ago a faculty member of a large music
school in New York City stated with pride that it was
very difficult for a student to enter his school and even
more difficult to continue there after entrance. This par-
ticular school gives piano lessons to many children, and
more than one parent has told me of children becoming
nervous and ill from the fear of not keeping up to the
standards of the school. Today the director of this same
school announces that they wish to serve a cross section
of all children in their city, and it is assumed that this
new goal is accompanied by a more sympathetic under-
standing of children's emotions.
For years the catalogue of a nationally famous con-
servatory carried a quotation from its founder that he
sought to establish in America the type of music instruc-
tion that had previously attracted music students to Europe.
DR. RAYMOND BURROWS
His success in developing the American counterpart of a
R. BURROWS is in charge of piano instruction at Teachers
College in addition to conducting the training of piano typically European institution was as complete as it
teachers. Since he is also director of piaro classes in the would be ironical to continue such a policy at a time
Horace Mann-Lincoln School of Teachers College, he has at
his command an experimental and demonstration laboratory when America must point the way to a more democratic
of piano students including all ages and all stages of ad- music education. This school is now under a new admin-
vancement. His interest in elementary students is reflected in
such publications as the "Horace Mann Piano Book," the istration with a leader trained in American colleges, and
"Young Explorer at the Piano," the "Adult Explorer at the music educators have high hopes for its future.
D
Piano," and "Young America at the Piano," whil^ his teach-
ing of advanced students has been so successful that four of
his artist pupils have made their New York debut in Town
Hall during recent years. His work in the correlation of piaro
wi f h other instruments has resulted in the publication, in
collaboration with Dr. Ernest Harris, and Mrs. Ella Mason
Abeam, of the new series: "Young America at the Violin."
—(Editors Note.)
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, OCTOBER, 1945
The Democratic Coal
The fundamental goal for piano teaching in American
democracy is that every boy and girl, and every man and
woman who wish to do so, should have an opportunity to
learn to play the piano. This does not mean just an op-