The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-09-07
Music And Art To Have Busy
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HE Birmingham. Conservatory of Music, an institution of which Bir-

NHE blrmlnghams Conservatory of
 Music, an institution of which Bir.
 mingham is justly proud, because of its high ideals and thorough methods gave the final pupils recital of its sum. ner term on Saturday, August 30, and began the fall term on Monday, Sep. tember l. This school is unique in the fact that it never closes it's doors tc pupils, but remains open throughout the entire year.
 Another step forward will be taken this year by making attendance on the free classes in harmony and music his. tory compulsory, even for students in the elementary grades. This is done because the director realizes that the mere superficial playing of piano does not constitute musicianship, and il is the aim of the conservatory to edu. cate in music.
 Two new teachers have been added to the. faculty, Miss Margaret Began and Miss Louise Collins. Indications point to an unusually large enrolment of pupils. The high mark of 400 was attained last year, and with the growth of the city in population and in musical appreciation, an even larger attendance is justly anticipated.
 The Birmingham Conservatory is easily the largest school of music in the state. surpassing in numbers the enroll ment in the music departments of any of the colleges. The opening this fall marks the beginning of the thirtieth year since it's establishment. Ever since its founding by Benjamin Guckenburger in 1895, the school has held prominent place in the musical life of Birming. ham.
 In 1903 William Gussen became the director, and brought, his high ideals to bear upon the musical course offered He also established firmly certain busi. ness rules, and by this precedent he helped the entire profession ip Birming. ham to conduct the business side oi music teaching by the rules that obtain in the business world. Now the con. servatory, under the capable direction of Edna Gockel Gussen, continues tc uphold the high standards which he es tablished.
 4 Mrs. Gussen, so we'll known as a con. cert pianist and accompanist for art ists, has superior musical advantages both at home and abroad. After demon. strating her marked talent under ia. nous teachers at the College of Music in Cincinnati, she went to Europe and became the pupil of the renowned plan. ist and pedagogue, Xavier Scharwenka, in Berlin. Following the tendency of all the famous European teachers to come to America now, this great master came to our shores a few months ago, and conducted master classes in Chicago during the summer. It is the desire of Mrs. Gussen to bring him to Bir. mingham at some future time. In fact, 1t has been her policy for several years to bring eminent guest teachers to hold short sessions of master classes here, not in competition with home teachers but as a stimulus to higher effort.
 She does not believe in commercialism in music schools, but places the empha- sis on idealism. With regret it may be said that it is the custom of the age to measure everything by commercial standards. Business so dominates our life today that nothing is done just for the sake of doing it well. So ordinary thing as chair is ne longer made for use alone, but to be Sold at profit But art can never be served for profit. It must be served for it's own sake The making of money through artistic serv- ice should be mere incident, necessary in our commercially ordered civilization, but, for all that, secondary.
 The conservatory hopes some day to be housed in a commodious and suitable building, in keeping with it's ideals, a building that will beFa credit to the architectural beauty of the city, even as the art work accomplished within it ia an honor to our cultural deyeIopment.