The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-01-27


Palace and rendered program ms
year at the second annual exhibition
$500 violinists assembled in the same
place to render a program as one 81
gantic orchestra. With this NUMBER
of players it was necessary to nave
two auxiliary conductors
Speaking of this performance IN
i London brings to me another phase
of this question.
In the account of the great concert
by the young violinists in the crystal
Palace, it was stated that girl nine
years old played the trombone very
skillfully and the writer referred TO
this as very happy incident.
There is a feeling at the present
time among the Keokuk girls that Is
not becoming for them to play upon
wind instruments. believe this reel
ing rests entirely upon the fact that
so far keokuk girls have not taken
up the clarinet and cornet as girls
| in other places frequently do. Prop-
ABLY most OF our girls do not know
that the most successful cornet play
er ever developed in this section was
Miss Esther Carnes of Warsaw. she
learned to play the cornet as glri
and was very fine player at twelve
wears of age. She not only played
with great success In Warsaw but at
fifteen years of age became profess
sional and has had splendid engage
ments ever since.
/ do not mention this because l
consider professional career of spec
iaI value, and do not wish to hold
it out as an inducement. Play for
the pleasure of playing, and for the
cultural results Of being a member or
good orchestra is recompense
enough for all the time and effort
required in playing an orchestral IN
strument.
The cornet is mentioned to show
that the cornet is readily adapted to
the playing of girls.
Can Assist the Parents.
l would especially ask that teach
ers and parents who learn of the in
Aterest of children in orchestra play
ing would bring them to my atten-
ton. We know practical phase OF
this question confronts every parent
in the purchase of an instrument, tile
point being that one never knows
when the instrument is purchased for
child to learn whether it will be
successfully used Or not The or
chestra management can assist In
settling this question without an ex-
pense to the parent by loaning the
instruments for the first lessons.
The board of education has shown
i r will in fn and
promote the orchestra, and it has al
ready bought some fifteen instruments
and additional assistance in this
movement may easily be secured be-
cause it will do so much to enrich the
musical experience of the children.
Children in the fifth grade anu
above who wish to learn an orchestral
instrument will be encourage to do
SO and assisted as far as possible.
Most OF the boys and girls who learn
their instruments for the high school
orchestra will live in Keokuk after
they leave the high school and Will
be available in the community orches-
ira, for playing in the social circle,
in the church and in larger musical
organizations
To illustrate what may be accom-
plished by the development of a
strong high school orchestra l wish
to recite the experience of Richmond,
Ind. Richmond is not much larger
than Keokuk, having population OF
20, 600 people.
Some fifteen years ago high
school orchestra was organized there
by Mr.. Will Earhart, already men
toned as now being the supervisor of
music in the Pittsburgh schools.
At the time this high school orches-
ira was started Richmond was no
more musical than an average city
of it's size in th., middle west. Mr..
Earhart carried on his work of or
ganizing and promoting an orchestra
with great discretion and, skill and
secured the interest of the superin.
tendent and board of education from
the first.
We will not attempt to give the
steps by which the orchestra advanced
but will only state the result at the
present tune. There are now In the
high school orchestra seventy mem
bers playing all the instruments OF
the symphony orchestra There is III
the city an adult symphony orchestra
of seventy members made UP TO quits
large extent of the graduates IRON
the Richmond high school. In al
dition to the high school orchestrs
there is Grammar school orch2stTs
and grade school orchestra and in the
hands Of the players In these orches
tras are over 100000 worth Of in
struments which have been boush'
by the board Of education and witt
money raised for that purpose b.
public performances.
One feature OF the development o
the orchestra in Richmond schools j:
worthy of particular attention anf
that is the players who have Learned
| certain instruments pass on thef
knowledge by giving lessons free o
| charge to young students who wis
to learn the instruments. This cal
ALSO be done here in Keokuk, thu
making it possible for children t.
learn their instruments with the leas
possible expense.
/ p,obmopd &c known TODAY all owe