Music Trade Review
Issue: 1928 Vol. 87 N. 3 - Page 11
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CHICAGO AND THE MIDDLE WEST
Frank W. Kirk, Manager, 333 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago
Gross Piano Co., Chicago, Completes
Two Years of Group Piano Instruction
Chicago Piano Firm Enthusiastic Over This Selling Method After Thorough Experi-
ence—Other Chicago Dealers Using This Method
^ H I C A G O , ILL., July 5.—An outstanding
^ example of what the piano dealer can do
to encourage fundamental musical education and
emphasize the essential character of the piano
for home life and education has been demon-
strated by the Gross Piano Co., 3933 North
Kedzie avenue, in conducting piano class in-
that within a very few years piano class work
will become a major study in every progressive
public, parochial, private or preparatory school
in the country, and that thousands of private
piano lesson teachers would add class piano
work to their regular instruction.
After these preliminary talks Mr. Gross in-
Group Teaching in Gross Piano Co. Store
struction work.
An interesting recital of
children's piano classes was held Saturday eve-
ning, June 23, culminating two years of grati-
fying progress to the teacher, children, parents
and Will Gross, the proprietor.
The attractive showroom was cleared of its
usual display of pianos and arranged so that
the space in front of the large audience was
equipped with a stage for four Kimball grand
pianos, while in the orchestra circle was the
complete children's piano class equipment, in-
cluding tables, charts, books and blackboards
arranged for regular class demonstrations,
which formed a part of the program.
Preceding the program Mr. Gross appealed
to the parents and adults present in behalf of
the child's musical education, pointing out that
the piano is the fundamental medium for mu-
sical expression and that mastering the instru-
ment is possible for practically every boy and
girl through the group plan of instruction,
because of its thoroughness and economic ad-
vantages.
As the recital was given by the class piano
students of the Helen Curtis System of Group
Instruction, Miss Helen Curtis was present and
gave a most interesting talk regarding the
splendid progress of the forty or more Curtis
System classes in Chicago, Kansas City,
Springfield, Ohio; Fort Wayne, Ind.; Richmond,
Va.; Pittsburgh, Pa., and many other cities.
Miss Curtis stated that there also is a grow-
ing demand for normal instruction in class
work and that she is supervising and conduct-
ing these classes in the Bush Conservatory,
Chicago; Pittsburgh Institute of Music, Pitts-
burgh, and other musical schools.
W. L. Bush, founder of the Bush Conserva-
tory, who interested Mr. Gross in conducting
the classes, responded to an urgent request for
an impromptu talk and voiced the conviction
troduced the teacher, Miss Ellen Munson, who,
after several years of private teaching in the
Bush Conservatory, took the Curtis course and
in June, 1926, took charge 6f the classes en-
rolled by Mr. Gross. Instructions were given
in a completely equipped classroom in the rear
of the showroom.
The program proper consisted of over thirty
numbers. There were over one hundred en-
tered in the program and every child took part,
showing surprising progress in reading notes
at sight, transposing, securing technique, pos-
ture, hand position and other fundamental
requisites to musical attainment.
It was announced at the conclusion of the
recital that the classes will continue until
August 1, and now that the public schools are
dismissed for Summer vacation, the classes will
be augmented by an increased enrollment. The
classroom, equipment, etc., is turned over to
Miss Munson each Saturday from 9 to 4. The
tuition charge is at the rate of 25 cents per
lesson or $2.50 a term of ten lessons.
The many piano prospects derived from this
source and the excellent business results gen-
erally have been watched with interest by many
dealers and a number of Curtis Classes have
been started by other local piano merchants,
including the Hyman Raieff Piano Co., 401
South Michigan avenue, Reichardt Piano Co.,
1311 Milwaukee avenue; Central Piano Co., 2444
Fullerton avenue, and others.-
Model C Gecilian
Speaker Selling Well
The radio division of the Bush & Lane Piano
Co., Holland, Mich., has received many letters
from retail merchants praising the Unusual sell-
ing qualities of the Model C Cecilian speaker
11
The chief selling point possessed by the Cecil-
ian magnetic cone speaker is (hat, though it is a
magnetic speaker, it appears to have all the re-
productionary powers of the dynamic type. The
range and clarity of the Cecilian leave abso-
lutely nothing to be desired. It is predicted
that by the end of 1928, the Bush & Lane Model
(' Cecilian speaker will prove to have been cme
of the best selling units of the Company's radio
division.
:
New Kimball Organ
Dedicated in Marion, Q.
Instrument Is of Latest Type—Kimball Using
Mail Campaign on Welte-Mignon (Licensee)
of Line
£l
The new large Kimball pipe organ, a thrfele-
inanual instrument, just installed in the Mariop,
Ohio, theatre, will be formally opened by E,JC.
Benedict next week with a recital. This ' In-
strument replaces the Kimball organ in.ftse
there since the opening of that auditorium in
1914, and its equipment includes not only that
of the classic concert organ but all the modern
orchestral novelty effects suitable for use in a.
theatre.
Miss E. Manning, advertising manager of the
W. W. Kimball Co., back from a short vaca-
tion in Southern California, greatly pleased with
her trip, which included a visit to the Los
Angeles Pageant of Music, has planned an ex-
tensive advertising program for the Kimball
instruments for the coming season. They have
just gotten out some rotogravure postals for
the Kimball retail department in Chicago. These
postals are devoted to exploiting the merits of
the Welte-Mignon (Licensee) and of the nine
cards used in the set, each contains the en-
thusiastic commendation of a well-known pian-
ist regarding the Welte-Mignon records.
Supplementing this the Kimball advertising
department has added a few lines, bringing
home to the recipient of the card the fact that
this instrument in his home is the equivalent
of "an artist in your own home and a reserved
seat," or in the case of the late lamented Mme.
Bloomfield Zeisler, the comment is made that
everyone should own Mme. Bloomfield Zeisier's
recordings.
Of special interest to Kimball and other
dealers is the national advertising the house is
doing in certain publications and the methods
the W. W. Kimball Co. has of hooking up its
national publicity with its agents in various'
communities.
• •-,.
Benny Meroff Endorses
Seeburg Harp Celeste
Musical Director of Marks Bros. Marbro The-
atre, Chicago, Pays Tribute to New Instru-
ment
The new Seeburg Harp Celeste is winning
favor among leading orchestra leaders who are
looking for something new and different to in-
troduce in their musical programs.
Among others who have adopted this instru-
ment and who highly endorse it as an important
adjunct to the fully equipped orchestra, is
Benny Meroff, the well known musical director,
who holds forth at Marks Bros. Marbro The-
atre, Chicago.
The Seeburg Harp Celeste not only : offers,
unusual musical possibilities in orchestra pre-
sentation, but also has distinguished itself as,a''
solo and accompanying instrument. In fact, its
(Continued on page 12)
'
CHICAGO AND THE MIDDLE WEST
Frank W. Kirk, Manager, 333 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago
Gross Piano Co., Chicago, Completes
Two Years of Group Piano Instruction
Chicago Piano Firm Enthusiastic Over This Selling Method After Thorough Experi-
ence—Other Chicago Dealers Using This Method
^ H I C A G O , ILL., July 5.—An outstanding
^ example of what the piano dealer can do
to encourage fundamental musical education and
emphasize the essential character of the piano
for home life and education has been demon-
strated by the Gross Piano Co., 3933 North
Kedzie avenue, in conducting piano class in-
that within a very few years piano class work
will become a major study in every progressive
public, parochial, private or preparatory school
in the country, and that thousands of private
piano lesson teachers would add class piano
work to their regular instruction.
After these preliminary talks Mr. Gross in-
Group Teaching in Gross Piano Co. Store
struction work.
An interesting recital of
children's piano classes was held Saturday eve-
ning, June 23, culminating two years of grati-
fying progress to the teacher, children, parents
and Will Gross, the proprietor.
The attractive showroom was cleared of its
usual display of pianos and arranged so that
the space in front of the large audience was
equipped with a stage for four Kimball grand
pianos, while in the orchestra circle was the
complete children's piano class equipment, in-
cluding tables, charts, books and blackboards
arranged for regular class demonstrations,
which formed a part of the program.
Preceding the program Mr. Gross appealed
to the parents and adults present in behalf of
the child's musical education, pointing out that
the piano is the fundamental medium for mu-
sical expression and that mastering the instru-
ment is possible for practically every boy and
girl through the group plan of instruction,
because of its thoroughness and economic ad-
vantages.
As the recital was given by the class piano
students of the Helen Curtis System of Group
Instruction, Miss Helen Curtis was present and
gave a most interesting talk regarding the
splendid progress of the forty or more Curtis
System classes in Chicago, Kansas City,
Springfield, Ohio; Fort Wayne, Ind.; Richmond,
Va.; Pittsburgh, Pa., and many other cities.
Miss Curtis stated that there also is a grow-
ing demand for normal instruction in class
work and that she is supervising and conduct-
ing these classes in the Bush Conservatory,
Chicago; Pittsburgh Institute of Music, Pitts-
burgh, and other musical schools.
W. L. Bush, founder of the Bush Conserva-
tory, who interested Mr. Gross in conducting
the classes, responded to an urgent request for
an impromptu talk and voiced the conviction
troduced the teacher, Miss Ellen Munson, who,
after several years of private teaching in the
Bush Conservatory, took the Curtis course and
in June, 1926, took charge 6f the classes en-
rolled by Mr. Gross. Instructions were given
in a completely equipped classroom in the rear
of the showroom.
The program proper consisted of over thirty
numbers. There were over one hundred en-
tered in the program and every child took part,
showing surprising progress in reading notes
at sight, transposing, securing technique, pos-
ture, hand position and other fundamental
requisites to musical attainment.
It was announced at the conclusion of the
recital that the classes will continue until
August 1, and now that the public schools are
dismissed for Summer vacation, the classes will
be augmented by an increased enrollment. The
classroom, equipment, etc., is turned over to
Miss Munson each Saturday from 9 to 4. The
tuition charge is at the rate of 25 cents per
lesson or $2.50 a term of ten lessons.
The many piano prospects derived from this
source and the excellent business results gen-
erally have been watched with interest by many
dealers and a number of Curtis Classes have
been started by other local piano merchants,
including the Hyman Raieff Piano Co., 401
South Michigan avenue, Reichardt Piano Co.,
1311 Milwaukee avenue; Central Piano Co., 2444
Fullerton avenue, and others.-
Model C Gecilian
Speaker Selling Well
The radio division of the Bush & Lane Piano
Co., Holland, Mich., has received many letters
from retail merchants praising the Unusual sell-
ing qualities of the Model C Cecilian speaker
11
The chief selling point possessed by the Cecil-
ian magnetic cone speaker is (hat, though it is a
magnetic speaker, it appears to have all the re-
productionary powers of the dynamic type. The
range and clarity of the Cecilian leave abso-
lutely nothing to be desired. It is predicted
that by the end of 1928, the Bush & Lane Model
(' Cecilian speaker will prove to have been cme
of the best selling units of the Company's radio
division.
:
New Kimball Organ
Dedicated in Marion, Q.
Instrument Is of Latest Type—Kimball Using
Mail Campaign on Welte-Mignon (Licensee)
of Line
£l
The new large Kimball pipe organ, a thrfele-
inanual instrument, just installed in the Mariop,
Ohio, theatre, will be formally opened by E,JC.
Benedict next week with a recital. This ' In-
strument replaces the Kimball organ in.ftse
there since the opening of that auditorium in
1914, and its equipment includes not only that
of the classic concert organ but all the modern
orchestral novelty effects suitable for use in a.
theatre.
Miss E. Manning, advertising manager of the
W. W. Kimball Co., back from a short vaca-
tion in Southern California, greatly pleased with
her trip, which included a visit to the Los
Angeles Pageant of Music, has planned an ex-
tensive advertising program for the Kimball
instruments for the coming season. They have
just gotten out some rotogravure postals for
the Kimball retail department in Chicago. These
postals are devoted to exploiting the merits of
the Welte-Mignon (Licensee) and of the nine
cards used in the set, each contains the en-
thusiastic commendation of a well-known pian-
ist regarding the Welte-Mignon records.
Supplementing this the Kimball advertising
department has added a few lines, bringing
home to the recipient of the card the fact that
this instrument in his home is the equivalent
of "an artist in your own home and a reserved
seat," or in the case of the late lamented Mme.
Bloomfield Zeisler, the comment is made that
everyone should own Mme. Bloomfield Zeisier's
recordings.
Of special interest to Kimball and other
dealers is the national advertising the house is
doing in certain publications and the methods
the W. W. Kimball Co. has of hooking up its
national publicity with its agents in various'
communities.
• •-,.
Benny Meroff Endorses
Seeburg Harp Celeste
Musical Director of Marks Bros. Marbro The-
atre, Chicago, Pays Tribute to New Instru-
ment
The new Seeburg Harp Celeste is winning
favor among leading orchestra leaders who are
looking for something new and different to in-
troduce in their musical programs.
Among others who have adopted this instru-
ment and who highly endorse it as an important
adjunct to the fully equipped orchestra, is
Benny Meroff, the well known musical director,
who holds forth at Marks Bros. Marbro The-
atre, Chicago.
The Seeburg Harp Celeste not only : offers,
unusual musical possibilities in orchestra pre-
sentation, but also has distinguished itself as,a''
solo and accompanying instrument. In fact, its
(Continued on page 12)
'
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