Evening star., 1922-12-10
Musical Mention

The agitation In New York and
other cities for some standard re-
Iuirements to be demanded of all
music teachers is emphatic evidence
of the increasingly important place
feing given to the arts, especially
music. throughout this country. A
committee of music authorities has
been appointed by the mayor of New
York for the consideration of some
plan for licensing teachers or for
some other method of insuring q high
standard of teaching. The chairman
OF the new committee is DIR. William
-. Carl, and the vice chairman DR..
Frank Damrosch. director of the In
stitute Qf Musical Art. DR.. Damrosch
has declared opposition to the licens-
ing system as impracticable. and sew
are in agreement with him on this
point.
1T is important. however" DIR.
Damrosch stated. for Americans to
know something of the sources of
musical education open to them and
to support the products of those in
Stitutions. Every year there is added
insistence that musicians can be edu-
Gated and trained in every field of
musical art without crossing the At
lantic. The justification for this be-
lief lies in the various means of mu-
sical training which exist on this
side"
That some cities in the United States
are realizing the civic and national
Importance of the situation is DEM
onstrated by uuestionnaire received
recently by the New York Chamber
of Commerce. sent out by the Cham
her of Commerce of New Orleans. re-
auesting all sorts of information
about the various schools of music in
that city.
The New York chamber. recognize
irS the variety of educational meth
DDS in music here. sent the question
naire to the Institute of Musical Art
and other schools for reply. The
most significant questions. perhaps.
were those relating to possible as
Sistancc which might be given local
institutions by the city or by civic
associations.
New Orleans considers. evidently.
that sound musical education for its
students is Il matter for city reSpon-
sibility. If boys and girls in New Or
leans aspire to musicianship the New
orleans Chamber of Commerce is go
ing to advise them. dependably. as
TO how and where they may obtain
The required training. Not many
titleS nave SoHc DIS idI dS lHdt, uue
the spirit is growing, and authorities
are endeavorinG to meet the situation.
DR.. Damrosch. in discussing the
training of Americans students. said:
In our system we may refer to
organized institutions of musical
training as conservatories. They are
divided into four categories:
Those which are purely CONNER
cial-iittle more than department
stores of musical instruction. in
which music lessons are sold at vary
lag prices. according to the teachers
selected.
.L,nendow ed schools of music. either
independent or attached to a college.
seminary or private school. in which
a prescribed course Of study is pur-
sued, the pupils paying a uniform
tuition fee which covers cost plus a
profit.
Endowed schools which provide a
comprehensive course of study under
carefully selected teachers, tuition fee
being below the cost Of instruction
because the income from endowment
meets the deficit and no profits are
made by the school.
Fully endowed schools which offer
all instruction gratis.
In the United States only the first