Music Trade Review

Issue: 1954 Vol. 113 N. 5

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
Established 1879
May, 1954
Vol. 113 -No. 5
2,890th Issue
REVIEW
75lh Year
THE
PIONEER
PUBLICATION
75th Year
O F T H E MUSIC
I N D U S T R Y
Expects to Teach a Million People to
Play Piano Through TV Telecourse
TEXAS las another claim to boast
' of—the world's biggest piano class.
Texans in the Houston area are taking
piano lessons en masse over television.
The new class piano telecourse is
part of the University of Houston's
program over the non-commercial edu-
cational station KUHT, Channel 8. Of
the eight courses offered by the univer-
sity, music is the favorite, and the TV
registrar says comments and inquiries
on the music course are coming in
three to one over any of the others.
The course is offered on either a
home study or a credit basis. Students
taking the piano lessons for college
credit are required to attend campus
sessions twice a month. The home study
course makes campus facilities avail-
able to students once a month so they
may have their progress evaluated.
Credit students pay $40 for the sem-
ester and "home study" students pay
$20.
The university estimates that
thousands of people are taking advan-
tage of the courses without the ma-
terial and evaluation supplied to pay-
ing students.
George C. Stout, professor of Music
Education at the university, and direc-
tor of the telecourse in piano, was sur-
prised to find at the end of the first
semester that "It is apparent that the
students taking the course by television
are making more progress than those
regularly enrolled for the same course
on the campus."
The telecourses were inaugurated in
Houston in September, 1953, and are
now going strong in their second sem-
ester. Enrolled in the piano course are
students of all ages.
One is an 85-year-old grandfather;
another is a teenager. One avid young
grade-school football fan was reported
by his parents to have given up his
favorite football telecast because it
conflicts with Prof. Stout's piano ses-
sion.
Just before Christmas, an elderly
lady wrote to the station for carol in-
struction, "So I can play the carols
at the church during the holidays." A
surgeon taking the course had a piano
put in his office so he can practice be-
tween patients. Several husbands and
wives, and one mother and daughter,
are sharing the family pianos to learn
techniques in this novel way.
Many of the students are teachers
who find the methods used in group
study valuable for them in teaching
music to their own classes.
Harold Frazier, Houston engineer,
wrote to Stout: "Your piano lessons
have done something in my family;
They have turned our main interest to
music-making." Frazier developed a
music staff with notes made of small
LEFT—A new device, invented by one of his television students, is George S. Stout's lighter keyboard and staff. The device (extreme
left) is illuminated note by note With small light bulbs as Stout gives instructions. Stout teaches piano on television to a large and en-
thusiastic "class" in Hcuston, Texas. R I G H T — K U H T — T V camera trains on Professor Stout, professor of music at University of Houston,
as he gives instructions to a student during a session of his new group piano telecourse.
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, MAY, 1954
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
light bulbs so the instructor can illu-
minate the staff notes on clefs and the
piano keyboard at the same time. Stout
now uses the illuminated staff and key-
board as part of his telecourse equip-
ment. He plans to use the lighted de-
vice in classroom study too.
Music of all types is used, after
special arranging by Stout. At present
more than 70 selections have been
played and chorded. Folk songs, easy
symphonic themes, opera melodies,
cowboy songs, hymns and popular
songs are all included.
Stout explains that after the first
six weeks of the 18-week course, stu-
dents without previous keyboard experi-
ence were able to play or chord 45
melodies and could play melody and
chords simultaneously for 17.
Stout himself is a pioneer in the
field of group piano teaching. He
worked out some of his original meth-
ods with the assistance of the American
Music Conference field staff and is em-
ploying the same techniques in his new
television classes.
During each class a demonstration
group plays in the television studio.
Three University of Houston television
students, who volunteered to be on the
program, learn to play as the show
progresses and demonstrate the lectures
and instruction given by Stout.
E. B. Forbes, Sr. Praises Members of His
Organization on His 87th Birthday
E. E. Forbes, Sr., president of the
E. E. Forbes & Son Piano Co., Birming-
ham, Ala., recently celebrated his 87th
birthday and in honoring this he pub-
lished a large advertisement in the
E. E. FORBES ADDRESSES MEMBERS OF HIS ORGANIZATION ON HIS 87th BIRTHDAY
Birmingham paper showing a photo-
graph of him addressing the members
of his organization under which he
stated:
'The 28th of March was my 87th
birthday, and I am thankful to the Lord
for the blessings He has shown me in
my life, and that He has permitted me
to be of service to Him.
"I have always had a sales meeting
on Monday morning each week with
They say that perseverance is a
our organization here, and we have
mighty handy trait to display in Las music, singing and prayer and discuss
Vegas, where just about everything is
future work.
a gamble.
"I have a fine Christian organization.
Late last month M. G. Dubrow,
The suit of clothes I have on was pre-
sales manager of the Story & Clark
sented by them. The wrist watch I have
Piano Co., had arranged a meeting of
was presented me by the blind boys
dealers, teachers, and piano prospects
at Talladega Institute for the Blind, all
for a showing of the new Story &
of which I am very thankful for.
Clark 16-mm movie depicting the com-
'"I thought it wise to have a picture
pany's manufacturing operations. A few
taken of our meeting that our organiza-
minutes before the meeting was to get
tion might keep it in remembrance of
under way, he discovered that the pro-
this happy time we had together.
jector he had rented was out of order.
"When I came to Birmingham in
It was Sunday afternoon, and despite
1887, a country-raised boy from the
his frantic efforts, Mike couldn't locate
farm, I sought a job. The only one I
was offered was by a music store. Gil-
a service man.
bert Carter. He told me he would pay
Finally, in desperation—and acting
my board and give me $15 a month
on a hunch—he phoned a neighbor-
salary, and if I earned more he would
hood fire-house. The fireman said they
give it to me. So I went to work and
did have a 16-mm projector and that
have been ever since. I am still working
Mike was welcome to bring his group
six days a week now.
over for the showing. Mike and com-
pany immediately trekked over to the
"I talked on the radio broadcast on
fire-house, and the show went off with-
my birthday about the life of Brother
out a hitch — augmented by eight in-
Bryan, who did so much for the citizens
tensely-interested firemen!
of Birmingham and the state. I am
Las Vegas Firemen Save
The Day for Mike DuBrow
having it copied out of his book, "Re-
ligion in Shoes." I think every family
should have one of these books. The
price is $2.00. The proceeds of the sale
of this book will go to the handling of
the finances of the Brother Bryan Com-
munity Center, located on 5th Avenue
next to the Bankhead Hotel.
"If you would like a copy of my talk
from the book, let me know and I will
be glad to send it to you without any
charge.
"I will also be glad to supply any-
body with the Gospel of John who will
distribute them. I think this should be
in every child's hands.
'T am also interested in seeing a
new building put up for the Brother
Bryan Community Center, as we need
more room there. Anyone interested in
helping out we will be glad to hear
from them.
"I want to call your attention to the
fact that music will prevent crime, and
every child should be taught to play
some kind of instrument, and sing.
"We carry a large stock of all kinds
of musical instruments and furniture,
and will appreciate your seeing us be-
fore you buy. We make easy terms and
low prices."
139 Were Gulbransen Pianos
Sold to Schools and Churches
The Gulbransen Co., Mel rose Park,
111., reports 131 sales to schools,
churches, etc., since the last list re-
leased on December 31, 1953.
Recently the company received an
order for eight pianos from Clayton
Smith of Orange, Texas, for the First
Methodist Church of Orange, Texas.
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, MAY. 1954

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