Music Trade Review
Issue: 1929 Vol. 88 N. 20 - Page 14
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
MUSICAL MERCHANDISE
Philadelphia Harmonica Movement
Organized on Permanent Basis
P H I L A D E L P H I A , PA., May 13.—The har-
monica movement, begun only a few years
ago when it was introduced into the schools
as well as playgrounds and recreation centers
on an experimental basis, and which grew with
such an astonishing rapidity that to-day up-
wards of 80,000 school children are players of
the instrument, has at last been welded into a
permanent organization.
The harmonica is now an "institution" in
Philadelphia, for it has not only converted these
thousands of children to the cause of musical
expression, but has captured the whole-hearted
support of the leaders of the city's civic, social
and religious life.
And all of this came about through the un-
tiring and zealous efforts of Albert N. Hoxie,
local business man and philanthropist, who
took the helm of the harmonica movement at
its incipiency and under his personal direction
has guided it to the high place it now occupies
in the activities of Philadelphia.
There have been many achievements in this
harmonica development of the youth of Phila-
delphia, most of which have been widely
chronicled, but the fitting climax came last
Thursday evening when "Who's W h o " in
Philadelphia, headed by Mayor Harry A. Mack-
ey, and even the humblest inhabitants, as-
sembled in the grand ballroom of the Bellevue
Stratford Hotel for one of the most brilliant
social events ever held in this city. The event
was known as "The Harmonica Jubilee," staged
for the benefit of the now famous Philadelphia
Harmonica Band and its activities.
Social leaders, captains of finance and indus-
try, city officials, and even many from the work-
ing class, numbering nearly 2,000 in all, came
together to participate in this harmonica bene-
fit. And a program that entirely measured up
to the importance of the occasion was one of
the outstanding features of the evening. This
program was prepared with the view of fea-
turing "the child in music," an appropriate part
of Boy Week that was being observed during
the week. It embodied everything that pertains
to the child in music, opening with the har-
monica, acknowledged as the interlocutory
medium in the musical transition of the youth,
Albert N. Hoxie, of Philadelphia
and ending with the presentation of a sym-
phonic orchestra. It even went further than
this, for it featured the tired business man's
interest in music, when a group of the best
known and most successful captains of indus-
try in the city gathered in a group to play some
harmonica numbers, much to the delight of the
large audience and equally as much to their
own delight, for it took these men back to their
own boyhood days.
Harmonica champions of previous years came
back for this gala occasion and participated in
the program as their contribution in acknowl-
edging the harmonica movement's value. The
Philadelphia Harmonica Band, a boy organiza-
BACON
BANJOS
OIDES7 AND lABSBT HQUSi IN THE1SA0E
Played by Leading
Musicians and Orchestras
Sold by Representative
Mutic Merchants
BACON BANJO CO., Inc.
GROTON, CONN.
tion that has played for Presidents, foreign
rulers, Governors of several States and for
many audiences, in every case winning much
praise for their musicianship, played a promi-
nent part in this program.
Former members of the band, who have
graduated into other branches of musical ac-
tivity, were on hand and during the evening
formed an alumni association, that these boys,
too, might have a part in perpetuating the ideals
of this harmonica movement.
And out of this notable event—this gala day
for the harmonica movement—there has been
permanently organized a harmonica band asso-
ciation that will look after the future activities
of the harmonica band and its constituent or-
ganizations, found in practically every school
and playground through Philadelphia as well
as a large part of the outlying districts.
A Summer camp for the harmoncia band has
been established, to be known as Camp Har-
monica, where the boys may go for outdoor re-
laxation and recreation and at the same time
carry on their harmonica activities. This camp
was started last Summer by Mr. Hoxie, and
was such a great success that it had been de-
cided to make this camp a permanent one, giv-
ing the harmonica youths of the city an oppor-
tunity to spend their vacations in an attractive
and beneficial environment. When Mr. Hoxie
first took up the plans for this camp many
prominent business men and a large number of
Rotarians came to his support voluntarily and
have contributed most substantially in aid of
the movement.
The camp has been acclaimed a great factor
in promoting boy welfare, aside from what it
is accomplishing in encouraging the youth in
music.
All of the money realized from this jubilee
concert will go to the camp, providing new
equipment and defraying the expenses of
worthy boys who are not financially situated
to pay their own way at camp.
A study of the program presented at this
Jubilee Concert will instantly reveal the magni-
tude and scope of the musical phase of the
(Continued on page 15)
Dependable
MUSICAL
MERCHANDISE
WHOLESALE
ONLY
CATALOG ON
APPLICATION
C
6RUNO Mcmi; SECURITY
ESTABLISHED 1834
*>Son Zac
CBruno
*>Son
3SJ-3S3 FOURTH
AVE - N.V.C
3SJ3S3 FOURT
14
^ ^
VICTOR
TALKING
MACHINES
MUSICAL MERCHANDISE
Philadelphia Harmonica Movement
Organized on Permanent Basis
P H I L A D E L P H I A , PA., May 13.—The har-
monica movement, begun only a few years
ago when it was introduced into the schools
as well as playgrounds and recreation centers
on an experimental basis, and which grew with
such an astonishing rapidity that to-day up-
wards of 80,000 school children are players of
the instrument, has at last been welded into a
permanent organization.
The harmonica is now an "institution" in
Philadelphia, for it has not only converted these
thousands of children to the cause of musical
expression, but has captured the whole-hearted
support of the leaders of the city's civic, social
and religious life.
And all of this came about through the un-
tiring and zealous efforts of Albert N. Hoxie,
local business man and philanthropist, who
took the helm of the harmonica movement at
its incipiency and under his personal direction
has guided it to the high place it now occupies
in the activities of Philadelphia.
There have been many achievements in this
harmonica development of the youth of Phila-
delphia, most of which have been widely
chronicled, but the fitting climax came last
Thursday evening when "Who's W h o " in
Philadelphia, headed by Mayor Harry A. Mack-
ey, and even the humblest inhabitants, as-
sembled in the grand ballroom of the Bellevue
Stratford Hotel for one of the most brilliant
social events ever held in this city. The event
was known as "The Harmonica Jubilee," staged
for the benefit of the now famous Philadelphia
Harmonica Band and its activities.
Social leaders, captains of finance and indus-
try, city officials, and even many from the work-
ing class, numbering nearly 2,000 in all, came
together to participate in this harmonica bene-
fit. And a program that entirely measured up
to the importance of the occasion was one of
the outstanding features of the evening. This
program was prepared with the view of fea-
turing "the child in music," an appropriate part
of Boy Week that was being observed during
the week. It embodied everything that pertains
to the child in music, opening with the har-
monica, acknowledged as the interlocutory
medium in the musical transition of the youth,
Albert N. Hoxie, of Philadelphia
and ending with the presentation of a sym-
phonic orchestra. It even went further than
this, for it featured the tired business man's
interest in music, when a group of the best
known and most successful captains of indus-
try in the city gathered in a group to play some
harmonica numbers, much to the delight of the
large audience and equally as much to their
own delight, for it took these men back to their
own boyhood days.
Harmonica champions of previous years came
back for this gala occasion and participated in
the program as their contribution in acknowl-
edging the harmonica movement's value. The
Philadelphia Harmonica Band, a boy organiza-
BACON
BANJOS
OIDES7 AND lABSBT HQUSi IN THE1SA0E
Played by Leading
Musicians and Orchestras
Sold by Representative
Mutic Merchants
BACON BANJO CO., Inc.
GROTON, CONN.
tion that has played for Presidents, foreign
rulers, Governors of several States and for
many audiences, in every case winning much
praise for their musicianship, played a promi-
nent part in this program.
Former members of the band, who have
graduated into other branches of musical ac-
tivity, were on hand and during the evening
formed an alumni association, that these boys,
too, might have a part in perpetuating the ideals
of this harmonica movement.
And out of this notable event—this gala day
for the harmonica movement—there has been
permanently organized a harmonica band asso-
ciation that will look after the future activities
of the harmonica band and its constituent or-
ganizations, found in practically every school
and playground through Philadelphia as well
as a large part of the outlying districts.
A Summer camp for the harmoncia band has
been established, to be known as Camp Har-
monica, where the boys may go for outdoor re-
laxation and recreation and at the same time
carry on their harmonica activities. This camp
was started last Summer by Mr. Hoxie, and
was such a great success that it had been de-
cided to make this camp a permanent one, giv-
ing the harmonica youths of the city an oppor-
tunity to spend their vacations in an attractive
and beneficial environment. When Mr. Hoxie
first took up the plans for this camp many
prominent business men and a large number of
Rotarians came to his support voluntarily and
have contributed most substantially in aid of
the movement.
The camp has been acclaimed a great factor
in promoting boy welfare, aside from what it
is accomplishing in encouraging the youth in
music.
All of the money realized from this jubilee
concert will go to the camp, providing new
equipment and defraying the expenses of
worthy boys who are not financially situated
to pay their own way at camp.
A study of the program presented at this
Jubilee Concert will instantly reveal the magni-
tude and scope of the musical phase of the
(Continued on page 15)
Dependable
MUSICAL
MERCHANDISE
WHOLESALE
ONLY
CATALOG ON
APPLICATION
C
6RUNO Mcmi; SECURITY
ESTABLISHED 1834
*>Son Zac
CBruno
*>Son
3SJ-3S3 FOURTH
AVE - N.V.C
3SJ3S3 FOURT
14
^ ^
VICTOR
TALKING
MACHINES
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