November 21, 1925.
n
PRESTO
CHAS. E. BYRNE URGES
PIANO PLAYING CONTEST
siasm? The music teachers are in favor of it, be-
cause it is beneficial to children, because it promotes
the cause of good music, because it means better citi-
zenship, because it insures a happier nation of music-
lovers.
The piano industry owes a debt to the music teach-
One of National Scope in Which Every Com- ers of America. They have made it possible for us
to sell our pianos. And the best way that the piano
munity Would Take Part, Certain to Stim-
industry can repay its debt to the music teachers is
by
holding a national piano playing contest. Such
ulate Piano Sales, He Believes.
a contest would be a salesman urging the necessity
Why music merchants need a national piano play- of the piano in every home. It would focus and
ing contest is told in his usual convincing way by concentrate public attention on the piano. It would
Charles E. Byrne, vice-president of the Steger & Sons enable thousands and thousands of boys and girls
obtain greater advantages socially and commer-
Piano Mfg. Co., Chicago, in a recent number of The to
cially, because of their ability to play the piano.
Music News. It is a new telling of the scheme to
Every music teacher will encourage and commend
effect closer contacts between music dealers, music it. Every music merchant needs it, and will discover
teachers, music students and the public with the de- that in discussing this piano playing contest before
sirable end of increasing piano sales.
music clubs, women's clubs, civic and commercial
its possibilities in promoting the cause
A national piano playing contest would be in the organizations
of music and good citizenship will be appreciated
nature of sales promotion of a far-reaching kind. Mr. and it will be welcomed by all public-spirited citi-
Byrne in his previous talks on the subject at trade zens.
conventions reminded the dealers that they were in
The wise manufacturer does not increase produc-
strong competition with many industries supported tion unless there is a growing demand for his prod-
uct.
If we create the demand first it is easy to
by a strong popular demand. He pointed to Greater
Movie Week, a nationally observed affair, which was increase production to meet it. A national piano
contest will open new markets for us in
effective sales promotion. Mr. Byrne writes as playing
every town and village by demonstrating the need
follows:
for pianos and thereby increasing the demand for
What would a national piano playing contest ac- them.
complish? Let me answer that question by telling
about some music teachers who started a little music
BEEFSTEAK DINNER FOR CLUB.
school in a neighborhood in Chicago with a foreign
The Piano Club of New York will eat its annual
population. At first they found it difficult to get
pupils, but they went ahead with their small group beefsteak dinner with an entertainment program as
of students and finally held a recital to which they an appetizer at the club rooms, 137th street and
invited the entire neighborhood. The recital was a Third avenue, on Saturday evening, December 5.
decided success, and after it was over they were
agreeably surprised to find that there were many The tickets are limited to 150 and may be secured
children whose parents wanted them to study the from many members of the committee which com-
piano. In other words, the mothers and fathers who prises Harry De Moll, chairman; Joseph V. Miller,
attended that concert wanted their children to be Clarence H. Smith, Adolph Doll and Theodore S.
just as accomplished as those that played the vari- Trimmer.
ous piano numbers on the program.
Can you imagine the healthy rivalry that would
AEOLIAN IN MEXICO.
be developed among children if there were a piano
A recent visitor to Aeolian Hall, New York, was
contest in every village, town,'county and state, and
finally, the awarding of suitable prizes to the natiolal Carlos Shieffer, whose elder brother is prominently
champions and their music teachers by our beloved associated -with Aeolian representatives, Wagner &
President in Washington?
Levien, of Mexico City, Mexico. Mr. Shieffer, who
Do you realize how our music schools would flour- has just completed his education in Germany, is
ish with such an impetus?
Can you picture what it would mean to have 250,- on his way to take a position with Wagner & Levien,
000 music teachers all over the United States talk- preparatory to which he has been making a survey of
ing about this contest and boosting it with enthu- both Steinway and Aeolian piano factories.
TRADE NEWS FROM
PORTLAND, ORE., FIELD
Harold S. Gilbert, in Music Business There for/
Twenty-five Years, Is Closing Out—
Other Interesting News.
••
Harold S. Gilbert, who has been in the piano busi-
ness in Portland, Ore., since 1900, has announced
that he intends to retire and is staging a closing out
sale in that city. Upon leaving college in 1900 he
started in with his father and continued with hinl
until 1916 when he went into business for himself ori
Yamhill street in that city. Mr. Gilbert states that
he will probably have to conduct an office for the
next two years to close out his business. After that
he proposes to travel and see the world as he states
before he is too old to enjoy it.
Leona Mourton, who for several years past has
been with Sherman, Clay & Co., of Portland,
Ore., in their Duo Art department, where she assisted
with her. mezzo-soprano voice in demonstrating the
Duo Art, has announced her engagement to Richard
N. Nelson of San Francisco.
J". H. Matthews has returned to the G. F. Johnson
Piano Co. of Portland, Ore., as piano salesman. Mr.
Matthews was connected with the Johnson company
four years ago and since that time has been with
Lipman, W'olfe & Co. and the Reed, French Piano
Co. of that city, leaving the latter firm last March
on account of sickness.
NEW EVANSVILLE CONCERN.
The W. P. Geissler Music Company has been in-*
corporated at Evansville, Ind., with a capital stock of
$15 000. The company will deal in all sorts of musi-
cal instruments, including radios. The incorporators
are Joseph Westjer, W. P. Geissler and William E.
Barnes.
VISIT GULBRANSEN PLANT.
Visitors last week Friday at the plant of the Gul-
bransen Company, Chicago, included Seth Laraway,
of the Seth Laraway Music Stores, Eugene, Ore.,
and H. M. Philbrock, manager of the store of the
Gulbransen-Brunswick Music Shop, Rockford, 111.
The Schiller Piano
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A First-Class Leader—-An Unsurpassed Seller
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ARE MAKING GRAND PIANO HISTORY.
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SCHILLER PIANO COMPANY
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Chicago Office:
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