PRESTO-TIMES
DETROIT LAUNCHES
SECOND CONTEST
ing Contest idea, will have general supervision, and
the finances will be in the hands of the Executive
Committee, composed of the following:
A. H.
Howes, chairman; C. H. Kesler, George Bourke, Phil
Sadowski, F. J. Bayley, Roy A. Maypole, Walter
Jenkins, Ray Priest and Chas. Tippen.
Strong Advisory Committee.
Success of Last Year's Event Prompts a Repe-
The Detroit Music Trades Association has been
tition, with Some Improvements, and
holding frequent meetings and many of the arrange-
Under the Same Skillful Direction
ments have already been taken care of. The Advis-
ory Committee will consist of some fifty of Detroit's
of Leaders in Former Contest.
WILL SELL THOUSAND PIANOS
The Prizes Will Include Three Grand Pianos Instead
of One, as Before, and Frank J. Bayley
Will Have Supervision.
The Second Annual Greater Detroit Piano Play-
ing- Contest is now on. In a prominent front page
article of the Detroit Times of March 15 the formal
announcement is made and states that the contest
will be conducted as last year, with minor improve-
ments such as giving three grand pianos instead of
one, the first being a first grade grand but bearing
a plate of the Music Trades Association, stating that
it is a composite instrument.
Each grand piano is to be for the championship
of each of the three grades, viz., High, Intermediate
and Elementary. The contest will also be arranged
this year in such a manner that the lower grades
will be decided first and the grand final will be par-
ticipated in by the very finest piano players of all
the children of Detroit.
Piano Houses Enrolled.
A fund of $10,000 has been secured and practically
every firm selling pianos in the city already are en-
rolled. Roy A. Maypole has been engaged to act as
contest director. The offer of the free use of the
sixth or hall floor of the Union League Club has
been accepted as contest headquarters. From now
on it will be a very busy place. Grinnell Bros, have
generously offered to provide one of the grand pianos
free.
Frank J. Bayley, the originator of the Piano Play-
foremost citizens interested in 'the promotion of music
and child welfare, the great difficulty in making up
this important committee is in deciding where to
draw the lines to keep the number within bounds.
The unanimous endorsement of the Federation of
Women's Clubs has been secured in recognition of
the altruism of the Music Trade, and Detroit Times
in promoting a great civic movement for the benefit
of the child and the home.
Many letters of inquiry as to plan and details of
the Piano Playing Contest are constantly being re-
ceived in Detroit. Last week Edwin A. Convery,
promotion manager of the Baltimore News and the
Baltimore American, spent three days in Detroit
studying every phase, and upon his leaving declared
that he was thoroughly sold on the piano contest as
the best promotion idea he has heard of for a news-
paper. As the Detroit contest progresses, all details
will be forwarded to Presto-Times for the benefit of
the whole piano trade. From the experience of last
year's contest, it is predicted that the direct result
will be the sale of a thousand pianos.
ENTER "MIESSNER MESSAGE."
"The Miessner Message" is the name of the new
publication of the Miessner Piano Co., Milwaukee,
for dealers and salesmen and edited by C. N. Glen-
non, secretary-treasurer of the company. In a fore-
word this is said: "The Miessner Message is written
primarily for men on the firing line who are selling
Miessner pianos. In the interest of increased Miess-
ner sales, will you kindly see that it is presented to
your salesmen." The "Sono-Rim," a tone-improving
feature in Miessner models, is described in the little
journal.
A STEINERT SHOW WINDOW
March 19, 1927.
INDIANAPOLIS WILL RUN
ITS OWN MUSIC WEEK
Association Resents Too Much Commercial-
ism in Connection with the Annual Push
for Good Music; Other News Items.
By Howard M. Radeaux.
On March 13th, the usual meeting of the Indian-
apolis Music Merchants was held at the Columbia
Club. After the noon luncheon Ernest G. Hesser,
supervisor of music in the Indianapolis Public
Schools, gave an interesting talk, the text of his
speech being, "The place of music in public schools."
The speech was enthusiastically received. Harry G.
Wert, president of the association, declared the
speech was the necessary spring tonic and labors
under the impression that all present had a good dose
of it. Mr. Hesser showed that almost fifty per cent
of the pupils of the schools were taking music in
some form.
Joel Ryde, of the Fuller-Ryde Music Company, was
appointed chairman of the program and entertain-
ment committee for "Music Week," and will be as-
sisted by George Stewart, of the Wilson Stewart
Music Co., H.G. Hook, of the Starr Piano Co., and
Ralph Hodgin, of the Carlin Music Co. The com-
mittee on publicity are: C. P. Herdman, of the
House of Baldwin, chairman; L. F. Glidden, of the
Erla Radio Co , Frank Wilking of the Wilking Music
Co., and William Christena, of the Christena Teague
Piano Co.
The Indianapolis Music Merchants Association
have notified the Fine Arts Committee of the Indian-
apolis Chamber of Commerce that they would work
and plan Music Week without the assistance of the
Chamber this year. In the past this event, that
means much to the Music Merchants, was commer-
cialized entirely too much. In fact committees ap-
pointed by the Chamber of Commerce had little inter-
est in 'the affair, and Mr. Wert, the newly elected
president of the association, believes it is a separate
event, foreign to other industries, and should be con-
ducted entirely by the music merchants.
Frank Edgar, of the Aeolian Company, was in In-
dianapolis en route to the South, and spent the day
with the Pearson Piano Company. George Schaeffer
of the Lester Piano Company was another visitor
of the company this past week.
Rapp & Lennox are now displaying the new
J. & C. Fischer Louis the XV, in antique mahogany,
in their spacious window in an extremely spring set-
ting, with bench to match. The windows of Rapp &
Lennox always attract a lot of attention by their
artistic displays.
Willard Mac Gregor, concert pianist, with the Met-
ropolitan School of Music, used the Baldwin Concert
Grand at Connersville, Ind., on March the 7, under
the auspices of the Music Club of that city.
On March 12 the State Junior Music Contest was
held at the Public Library where the Baldwin piano
was used. The American Legion held a social on
Tuesday, the 8th, at the Armory where the Baldwin
Concert Grand was used.
Walter Gieseking, the sensation of the day, ap-
peared in the concert with the Detroit Symphony
Orchestra on the 10th and 11th and performed on the
Baldwin Concert Grand.
FOUR MINIATURE GRANDS
IN THE THEATRE LOBBY
A STEINERT SHOW WINDOW IN BOSTON.
Herewith is shown a photographic view of one of
the big show-windows of the Boylston Street, Boston,
store of M. Steinert & Sons Company, which have
attracted crowds for the last two weeks. Both win-
dows were transformed into replicas of broadcasting
studios, "mikes" and all, showing in one a Steinway
grand, and in the other the Steinert grand piano
which was purchased by the Boston"Transcript Com-
pany (WBET) for its small studio, while the Stein-
way grand shown above was bought for the main
studio of W B E T in the First National Bank Building.
Various photographs and explanatory signs set
forth the fact that W E E I (The Edison Light Com-
pany's "The Friendly Voice" big station), had pur-
chased several Steinway pianos; that the Metropolitan
Theater, which broadcasts over WNAC, had chosen
the Steinert piano, and that WBZ, operated by the
Westinghouse Company, had chosen a Steinway con-
cert grand for their Boston studio, WBZA (soon to
be transferred to a location in the new Statler Hotel),
and a Steinert grand for its main studio, WBZ, in
Springfield.
Little Instruments with Manikins at the Keyboards
Prove Good Advertising Attraction.
In the past week Jerry and her four Premier Baby
Grands appeared at Keith's Theater, Indianapolis.
In the lobby of the theater a very unique advertising
feature appeared in the form of a miniature stage set
with Jerry and her four baby grands. The miniature
pianos were exact duplicates of the style in use, even
to the metal plates and strings.
At each instrument a manikin was seated, in the
attitude of performing, while the rear of the stage
was covered with a drop showing the mammoth fac-
tories where the instruments are made. The feature
attracted considerable attention and the local repre-
sentatives of the Premier consider the scheme worth
while as an advertising feature of considerable value.
The Carlin Music Company, now the sole repre-
sentatives of the Premier, were very much enthused
over the scheme and declare that it has already had
its good effects.
Albert Barclay, manager of the Warren Music
Company, Evansville, Ind., is the oldest music house
manager in Evansville, in point of years in the busi-
ness. And he says he is still a young man though he
has been engaged in the business for nearly a half
century.
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