Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-06-24
NJ u S l
appreciation in American audi
BY HELEN FETTER.


IN Central and South America
i the development Of all phases
of musical endeavors is much
more mature and on a more solid
ly established basis than in North
America. The small towns OF both
coasts as we'll as the leading
cities have opera houses that are
beautiful, as are the concert halls.
The government of each Of these
countries makes it a national
concern to give musical training
to the talented children of their
country. They not only encour-
age and make further education
and development of such talent
extremely easy, but they also send
the most gifted, at government
expense, for European study and
then give them opportunities for
experience at home later.
In this connection mention
should be made of the fine work
that the American Union is
doing in familiarizing North Amer
lea with South American music
and vice versa. The forty-flrst
concert of music by Latin Ameri-
can composers will be given on
the eSplanade of the Pan-Ameri-
can Union Building here Satur-
day night. Station NAA will
broadcast the program. The date
comes within the full moon
period, and there could be no
more beautiful setting for a con-
cert of such music than that pro-
vided by the gardens and pool at
the rear of the building in full
moonlight. The writer has at
tended such events previously
when red, white and blue lights
were partially hidden by the
vines around the pool. The mem
bers of one. of the fine service
bands. arrayed in all the splendor
of full Dress" sat before the pic
tureSQue building at the rear of
the grounds and played to an
audience that was grouped on the
eSplanade or on the two wide
marble Staircases that led down
from the Hall of the Americas, or
strolled quietly through the shad-
owy groves Of poplars and lis
tened to the music. The glass
roof over the patio in the main
building was removed and a
canopy of stars twinkled down
upon Old Glory, which was softly
lighted by Luna in all her radi-
ance. Such an event in such a
setting is not to be missed and it
is anticipated from the early re-
Spouse to the invitations that
this outdoor concert will attract
what will probably be the largest
audience ever assembled for
Pan-American event.
The United States Army Band,
Capt. William J. Stannard, leader,
viii play a program of 10 selec-
tionS, and the assisting artists
viii come TO Washington especial
ly to take part in this concert.
THE United States Army Band
l. has, during the last three
years, acquired a repertoire OF
music from the other American
republics. These numbers have
been copied from original manu-
script arrangements loaned by
the band leaders for the purpose.
The possession by the Army Band
of this unique collection of music
from the New World caused Hon.
Thomas E. Campbell, commission
er general Of the United States
participation In tho exposition at
Sevilla, Spain, TO suggest to the
Secretary Of War the appropriate
ness Of having the band visit the
exposition next Spring and play
go programs composed of music
from the New World. AS the par
ticipation in the Ibero-American
exposition at Sevilla is confined
to the American republics, Spain
and Portugal, and as the Army
Band is the only musical organ
ization In the world to possess
music from all of the participat-
ing nations, the Secretary of War
has given his consent for its visit
to Spain. The programs for use
on the tour are being arranged
and will be played in Washington
during the present Summer. They
viii be composed exclusively Of
selections from the United States
and the other 20 American re-
publics.
The SO bands connected with
the United States Army will, dur
ing the next fiscal year, add 100
Latin American compositions to
their libraries.