Omaha daily bee., 1920-01-11
BY HENRIETTA M. REEs.
w HILE everyone is discussing
w the high cost of living, let US

w the high cost of living, let US
y discuss it, too, and take a
look at some of the reasons for the
high cost OF music lessons. While
other commodities, or what were
once supposed to be commodities.
1t is so much bother to get them or
anything like them nowadays that
they have ceased to be commodities
while all of these things have risen
in price to abnormal heights, COM
paratively few of the music teachers
have raised the charge for music
lessons, even though they may learn
more every day about the art of
teaching, and even though they have
invested more time and effort in ad-
vance study during their summer
vacations. Still the high cost of
music lessons continues, and it is
not the fault of the teachers. 1t is
the fault Of the pupils. And the
high cost is paid out Of the family
pocketbook.
Granted that the teacher is a COM
petent teacher. He gives the pupil
lesson, which he is to take home
and practice, according to instruc-
tions, certain number of hours be-
fore the next lesson.
The pupil returns for the next les
son, but he either has not practiced
it sufficiently or has not thought
sufficiently or something-it is only
half right. Therefore the teacher ex-
plains it carefully again and gives it
to him over again. But it has cost
that pupil just twice as much as it
should to have learned the points in
corporated in the lesson, just the
same as it costs the telephone COM
pany just twice as much to connect
call when it is found necessary to
give . wrong number before the
right one. 1t costs the family
pocketbook twice as much to have
the same point driven into the con-
sciousness of the young hopeful as
it should have cost. And father and
mother, who so long to hear the
children play and sing, not only have
to wait twice as long as they should
to hear a piece of music and pay
twice as much for it, but even then
it is perhaps not half as good as it
should have been. This is true in
all too many instances and it strikes
the keynote of one of the great rea7
sons for the high cost of living-the
inefficiency of the individual who
does the work.
Do you remember what Prof. Leo
pold Auer said about Jascha Heifetz?
He said: II never had to tell that
boy anything but once" And Jascha
Heifetz is today acclaimed the great
est of the younger violinists. Per-
haps his lessons with this famous
teacher cost his mother and father
a great deal: they did not cost them
as much as the lessons some of the
boys and girls of Omaha are costing
their parents. Because some of the
boys and girls of Omaha have to be
told the same thing not only once,
but twice, three, four or half dozen
times, and the high cost of music
lessons goes up accordingly. with
the results in inverse proportion.
The Tuesday Musical club Will
present Arthur Hackett, tenor. and
the Zoellner quartet in joint recital
on Tuesday evening, January Is, at
Sis o'clock. The Zoellner string
quartet is cne of the most noted
chamber music organizations before
the public a, the present time. it
consists Of father, two ms and a
daughter. For six seasons th:y have
been travelling, "blazing a trair for
other clls1nber music organizations
in many places where such musical
attractions have never before ap-
pear ed, and visiting the large musical
ccnters with equal success. They are
spoken OF as something unique in
the annals OF chamber music organ
izations, and glowing terms are em-
ployed in regard to their "unparal-
leled ensemble, exquisite perfection
of tone shading and marvellous unity
of spirit"
Arthur Hackett has only been be-
fore the public since September, 1916,
and the number of his engagements
and the success of his appearances
speak volumes for his ability. There
are very few people who can sing
the difficult arias from Handel with
the smoothness of tone and beauty
of phrasing which one finds in the
singing of Arthur Hackett.
The announcement by Henry G..
Cox that the Minneapolis Symphony
orchestra will give a concert at the
Omaha Auditorium on Wednesday
evening, February 18, will cause the
music-loving public to- sit UP and
take notice. The entire orchestra
of IS men will be present and the
Omaha concert, according to Mr..
Cox, will be the climax of the mid
winter tour. We all know the fine
musicianship OF Mr.. Oberhoffer; we
know the work of Guy Woodard, his
able and talented concert master,
and general excellence of the whole
orchestra. We are assured an inter
esting program, aud the only regret
is that there will be only one ap-
pearance. ~
The death = of Maude Powell
Thursday came as a distinct shock
to the musical world, where she has
so long held an honored place. 1t
adds another to the list of famous
musicians who have been called by
the grim reaper inside of month.
Maudge Powell has been known
for many years as the most famous