Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-08-11
MUSIC
IN RICHMOND
The Choice or n TencJ,cr.


"hether In choosing n teacher OF
piano. violin or OF singing. careful
judgment must be exercised. Ahpi.v
rather than financial co,sidor,tione
should control. 1t seems trite to NIL o
statements of this kind that should he
obvious TO an? one. but every omen
ing season witnesses this counse, dis
regarded. To ckc ont a slender In,
come, or for any other reason. unnrc
pared teachers hold themselves out TO
the Pubhc. offering their mcaEor tcnch-
Ing ABILITY at attractivcly low terms.
so 'hat many an unwary pupi, is
gained. But the gain OF the teachct
Is often the loss of tho pupil am, q,
is not until tn" unwisc pupil has srnr,
season or Two with Il teacher of .his
standing that the knowledge. CONF I,
the pupil that he has spent time and
money in vain and has mach to undo
On the other hand. IT mus. he con-
fesSed. there arc frequently to he four 4
hiEh-priccd teachers who give li,tl, e.,
the pupil. But these are USUALLY well
known in the profession and may he
avoided upon inquiry. \ reasonable
test in estimating the worth Of Il teach
or might be to study Tho method, n.
his pupils; have they steadily prorrcss-
cd in the right direction Are they
overcoming primary faults? do they
perform without too obvious effort?
The teacher Of the piano should be
able to impart n knowledge If ororer
wrist and finger action. facility il pee
forming scales. arpeggos ana chords.
variety of tone-color. relaxation corr
hincd with firmncsa. and endless othe-
requisites. The teacher of violin must,
likewise. be able to impart tie art
Of correct bowling. lingering and or ras-
ing, CT accurate stopping. of corrcc.
pitch. together with tho command OF
sight-reading. which is 50 essential IN
the violin. Neither is this all II the
violin. It is not requisite that the
teacher be a concert soloist Of -cru.e,
though the ability to perform wei! nc
supposes vast amount az The rep
aration which is demanded OF the ou-
pill. such preparation. ma6n under :h1
guidance OF a well-rounded teacher
must be superior to that obtained 4,
the hands Of one who is but an in
different performer.
In the field of voice training. con-
corning which probably more has bc.n
said and written than upon either or
both OF the mother branches o! art. and
which IS. when one has nodicum IF
voice to build upon. the noblcst art
of ALL there is something also 10 TIC
said. After all. the difficulty of sing
ing correctly Is found in It's simplicity.
The correct way seems to one who
has mastered il the only obvious meth
cd. The matter Of breath contro, As
primary consideration has been a
much disputed question. but now Is
taught in much the same way by really
well-equirped teachers. Relaxation CT
facial jaw and other muscles Of the
head and throat Is essential, and every
good teacher will insist upon it: the
placing of tone and the production OF
agreeable and resonant tones within
the proper range of the voice calls
for undoubted ability and Judgment on
the part of the teacher. yet many
voices have been irretrievabiy ruined
through lack of knowledge or care in
this regard
The teacher OF instrument or voice
should be a man or woman OF vision,
not OF circums cribed outlook; narrow
ness of mind rarely leads one TO great
artistry: great artists and great
teachers have breadth OF vision and
outlook. good sense and normality of
mind. This is true OF to-day. what
ever may have been in the past. To