The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-12-12
CONTEST
! WINS ACCLAIM

WIIvJ hUuLhlIvI
4 Unlike airplanes, sound waves
!, safely penetrate fog and mist
without difficulty hence the fact
Of murky weather had no effect
on the radio brOadcasts from all
sections over the week end. Re.
ceptiOn was fair to very good In
almost all sections Of the cont.
nent with none but the usual an.
fOYa1ces Of fading and interior
ence to mar excellent loud speaker
activity.
Ten singers. representing ten
sections Of the United States, COM
peted for Atwater Kent Foundation
grand prizes before some SO,000,OO0
radio listeners last evening as Sama.
teurs under 25. years of age. twho
had never been given a. prOfes-
sional engagement. The ten. voices
could have each been presented as
those of finished musical stars
almost anywhere in the world and
have been easily accepted as such
by their performance in the COM
petition.
The uniform excellence Of the
Atwater Kent finalists in the trials
at the WEAF studio last night
before the audiences of SO radio
broadcasting stations impresses this
writer more deeply than the fact
that Agne Davis, "a years old, of
Denver, Col, and Wilbur Evans.
% years old of Philadelphia, were
finally adjudged the best two of
the ten and awarded first prizes.
The judges of this contest. headed
by such distinguished persons as
Louise Homer, contralto: Reinold
Werrenrath, baritone, and Bill Hay,
radio director of WGN, Chicago,
had certainly most difficult task
to select the first three of each
type of voice presented. And in
the case of the others, very APP
parent nervousness on the part OF
the singers was largely responsible
for the fact that the judge job
was not more difficult. This was
particularly noticed in the very
delicate. flute-like voice of one of
the girls.
TEN FROM
FIFTY THOUSAND
But the fact remains that the
country has produced 10 non-profes-
sional singers of unusual merit
from a contest that involved $4,000
voices all told, and in each stage Of
elimination to secure the final 10,
was closer and closer. until we are
assured that each of the 10 was
finally selected from other groups of
from 10 to 25 by the closest sort. Of
calculation and the finest exercise of
Judgment.
In bringing forth to the world the
fact that the United States contains
SO many excellent young non-profes-
sional singers, ready and eager to
step forward and entertain the pub
lie, A. Atwater Kent, of Philadel-
phia, has achieved far more than any
other person we know has done with
regard to vocal music. Further
more, it marks a distinct advance in
the method of discovering musical
genius for which radio broadcasting
alone Is responsible.
Washington radio listeners heard
q concert from the Fox Theater
yesterday afternoon that should be
marked in red letters in the radio
log books. and should be called to
the attention of all music lovers as
one of series that has been given
and will continue to provide fine
music, brilliantly directed. In many
years of listening to music / have
yet to hear a. more carefully di-
rected program than that which
Adolph Kornspans and his men Of
the Fox symphony group presented
during the afternoons II was the
equal, in character of music nre-
scented and manner Of present fion.
of many regular symphony efforts
for which we've paid high prices
to hear. The only difference be-
tween II and the sEJacaIled more i'm
4 p0rtank ,aSmrerts, lies in the fact
fat 1t was shorter and considerably
more understandable for the aver
age listener.
While the wave lengths brought
much to listeners throughout the
Week end-the Frank Moulan effort
with 1.-THE Sultan of Sulu," the New
York symphony concert. both OF
Saturday evening. the Bible drama
and the Golfers hour last night we
would speak only of the work of
Earl Carbaugh and the AT Home"
Trio in our own final program from
WMAL Saturday evening. AS listen
ers were informed at the close OF
the program. this is the last that
will be given under our direction.
We believe it was one OF the best
we have never heard Carbaugh sing
better or the trio play better.