Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-04-23
MUSIC AND DRAMA.
Coming Musical Events Of Salt Lake
City,
AT THE THEATRE.



l.. J. whitney, superintendent Of
schools at Boonton, N. j., tells his ex'
psrience Of how to teach vocal music
in the public schools In the following
language:
Heretofore u has been q problem 70
me, but In my care Ia solution Il
effected. For the purpose Of Inducing
others to help themselves In this line,
| am disposed to relate my experience
in teaching vocal music TO u class Of
eighty pupils, in two grades OF my
school, and TO state the results attained
by the Tonic Sofia Method In course
OF lessons for the past six weeks, aver
aging half an hour each day.
To begin with |, the teacher, had
previously had jus, fifteen minutes in'
s,ruclion in principles Of the systm,
and, although disposed to reject the
'bigO stories az TO what Sofia would
do, | determined to purchase copy OF
the Tonic Sofia Music Reader, and
look Into IL.
am not a singer, that n TO say, J
could not and cannot sing accurately an
unfamiliar selection ~ written In tue
stab notation. could guess al 1t. But
Soi.fa, with its simplicity and wonder
fully systematic and thorough method
soon led me from uncertainty 10 Ger.
tainty. I began 10 teach my class OF
eighty pupils, using the blackboard anu
the hand signr. In oue week, ! sur
prised my teachers, my class anu my
self, with the results.
The class could sing accurately sim.
ple, four.part selections. The second
weok followed this up with Increased
confidence In the system, while my
pupils wers NIL willing TO purchase
copics Of the Music Reader. Having
these, We made rapid progress, and on
Intervening Of April o, the class gave n
musical and literary entertainment, 10
add 70 our library fund.
ON this occasion tho class sang six
teen selections, using no plano or organ
accompaniment, anu the audience re-.
marked on the excellent quality. hhr'
Inony, and time Of the singing.
Teaching vocal music by sofia,
bccomoa at once q pleasure and most
valuable agent 10 the teacher. study
the system, try II In your schools, and
learn that vocal music IN Just ~ easy TO
teach ~ reading, number, etc.
TIrR COMING MusioAL CONTEST.
Last year an interesting musical
contest was held In the Tabernacle
under the auspices OF the Y. NJ. NJ. /.
A. At the time Il was announced that
the prizes for this year's contest should
amount TO $1,000. The time is now
drawing near, and many nre quietly
preparing 10 carry of tho prizes.
Ii IL thought that the coming friend
ly musical con,es, will be more inter
esting than its predecessor, a. oul
leading vocalists and instrumentalista
nrc contemplating 10 take part In IT,
Should this transpirc, II would Of
course lessen the chances Tor the NOR,
humble devotees OF the divine art, but
these should not feel discouraged, but
endeavor to do their very best. To the
public II would be very interesting Il
witness their favOrites contesting for q
verdict as to superiority, by competent
adjudioators.
wv nAt' W ral thnN NJ Vh' WIN
understands the nature Of an under
taking Of this kind will enter the aren'
only for the prize that may
10 awarded. There arc berefits anu
honor 10 be reaped which are moi
represented by the prizes. Last year
young men who received no award !
left an impression on the public which
cannot easily be overestimatod and the
a. Il. H.
preparatory work which necessarily
precedes contest Of this class.
This year the programme In mnny
ways IL more far reaching In It's aim
Of doing musical good than that Of last
year. Including every feature Of that
II reaches out 10 unite the male sing
rrs Of whole Stakes, by offering tn,
first prize 10 the best chorus not over
100 nor under fifty In number, MI
members Of one Stake.
Already news IL received OF rhoruse,
organizing In Utah, Weber, and eve
in Oneida stake. Another commend,
able addition Ii one number restricted
TO young men under twenty-onc year,
ofngc, as young men whose age make
II impossible for them TO be fully
niatured In voice, Judgment and ability
should have chance TO try without
coming In contact with men Of maturel
yearn, unless they choose to do 40.
A contest for hrass and reed sand,
restricted TO one Stake, numbering moi
lesa than ATTY, and another 10 one ward
10 number not less than twelve pur
formers heads the instrumental pro
gramme, while prizes for the 6es,
cornet, clarlonett, piano, aud cabinet
organ solo are offered, the whole nj
most equalling the celebrated Welsh
EisteddtOds in variety and interest
The MI programme appears In th,
Contributor Of February.
SYMPHONY ooNcERT.
The Salt Lake symphony Orchestra
which made such favorable imprss
sion Mt the recent Tabernacle Choi
concert, Is arranging TO give n gran,
subscription symphony concert Mt tn
Theatre on the 18th Of May. A I'm
programme win be arranged, whicl
will include several movements from
BeethoVen's first symphony, on whicI
the orchestra has been rehehrsing ~
n considerable length OF time. Tn
officers and members OF the orchestr
are now soliciting subscriptions, an,
are meeting with fiattering success.
''TnE TOWER OF THE PREss.n
Next week opens at the Thestr
with the presentation Of this populn
drama. IL In announced for thr,
nights commencing on Monday. m
following extracts are from u crlticisl
which appears In tho Denver AeWG