Arizona republican., 1922-05-23
BY Frederic J. Haskin

WASHINGTON. D. C. May To-
Indiana is the first state to make
special effort TO encourage it's own
musical composers, according to
Grace Porterfield Polk. we'll known
song writer of Indiana.
Three years ago Mrs Polk deter
mined to do for the Indiana folk
Just what she wished someone had
done for her when she was a
struggling composer. She had to
work alone, trusting in her own
judgment to divine what was good
and bad in her early attempts. She
had to learn. by slow experiment.
ways to success that an experienced
song writer could have explained to
her in few minutes talk. She de-
cided that in future the young com
posers of her state at least should
profit by the experience of others.
Accordingly, she began to offer a
group of annual prizes for the best
original songs submitted by persons
native or resident of the Hoosier
state. Prizes for the best art songs
and ballads were offered. and also
prize for the best manuscript by a
junior composer.
Mrs Poll's belief that Indiana
ltttQtd THIS SOIL QI
was justified. From farms. home
steads and city offices manuscripts
came into Greenwood the suburb of
Indianapolis where Mrs. Polk lives.
More than 200 entries were made in
the first year of the contest Last
year $50 manuscripts came in. This
year the number will probably be
larger though the art song prizes
have been discontinued. 1t was found
that an art song to the amateur COM
poser meant a very complicated and
ambitious work. Many of the con-
testants were not ready for intricate
compositions. so it was decided to
concentrate on ballad forms.
The prizes are awarded every year
at the American Song Composers
Festival held at Greenwood in June.
The festival is another idea for en-
couraging home talent both state
and national. Each year many musi-
cal composers come to Greenwood
for three days celebration and fes-
tival. Both experienced composers
and amateurs, some from distant
states, come to this convention in the
cause of American music. The be-
ginners get helpful suggestions and
counsel, the older musicians consult
together. and all get inspiration for
their work in the concerts and meet
ings
Mrs. Polk is especially interested
in the rising generation of musicians.
For several years she was junior
chairman OF the National Federation
of Music clubs, and she is still the
champion of the struggling composer,
and of the potential composers in
the schoolroom who have not yet
realized, perhaps. that they have un-
written songs running in their heads.
Every state should encourage it's
home musicians, and particularly the
young people and give them the
assistance they should have.
Concrete Suggestions
There are Various ways of doing
this. The National Federation of
Music clubs is working to interest
boys and girls of the grammar and
high school age by forming them in
to junior music clubs These clubs
give recitals, and sometimes the
programs are made up entirely of
original compositions. They go to
hear concerts. Some of the clubs
have made study of the parts
played by the different instruments
in the orchestra,l so that they might
better understand orchestra music
- III sOiIle OF LileIIl nave UTCntSlTdS u
their own
Some times small prizes are given
for the best original composition by
club member. These original pieces
little waltZes, marches and songs
are often crue. Few are worthy of
publication, but early attempts may
lead to finer work. especially if SYM
pathetic encouragement is given.
In the Indiana composers contest
an effort is made to get an idea as
what led the different junior con-
testants to write the prices submit.
ted. Most of them realize the inn
portance of starting with a theme.
just as experienced artists do. There
is surprisingly little meaningless
music submitted.
One little girl. telling about her
manuscripts, said that her father
was away in the North. In letter
he said that he missed hearing the
familiar bird songs. So she wrote a
song with the bobolink notes care
fully initiated in the melody and sent
it to him. This song she had entered
in the competition. She was in Miami
Florida, where there is one of the
best and largest junior clubs in the
United States
Musical Memory Tests
Another device for making Aner-
ca nors musical is the music memory
test. These tests hav- been used in
some public schools and in music
clubs for several years. In some