Evening star., 1933-03-26
THE success and popularity of Cyl

i peoples concerts OF the Ma
tional Symphony Orchestra
can prove a source of satisfaction
and qualification to the local
sponsors of the orchestra. The
good attendance and good be-
favior, the enthusiasm and inter-
est Of the children were spontane-
GUS and unforced and demon
strated that music could hold the
attention of the young ones II
presented in an attractive and
understandable form. That the
concerts have met real need in
the city was shown by the re-
Spouse of schools and private
teachers who were glad to urge
their pupils to supplement their
studies by going to the concerts
and by parents who rejoiced IN
the opportunity offered for their
children to hear good music In
more tangible form than that de-
livered over the radio.
Its interest for those playing in
the high school orchestraS brought
out such groups as the Langley
Junior High and the Powell Junior
High orchestras in body. Boy
Scout Troop, No. 8, came en- masSe,
56 children came from st. An
thongs School, and private schools
such as the Friends School and
the Potomac School were well rep
resented. One hundred and thirty
children came from Arlington
County and a large number from
st. Agnes Episcopal School and
the public schools Of Alexandria.
The Weighton School had many
interested subscribers.
The number of letters that have
poured in in response to DR.. Kin
dler'S desire to have the children
express their opinion of the music
have shown that the basic idea
Of the concerts has gone home.
The important message of music
has been given the children and
their reaction has been more than
encouraging. Their minds have
followed the explanations and
they have understood and applied
the lesson.
The fact that these concerts
(Which are modelled after the pro-
grams their elders enjoyed in more
pretentious form are their very
own has had an enormous appeal.
One child writes: II have always
wanted to attend a symphony
concert" And another small girl
says: "The first orchestra concert
I ever attended was your chill
dren's concerts. I loved It and
don't want to miss any of them.
I never knew before there were
so many instruments"
II expect your concerts for
older people are very grand, but
they couldn't be enjoyed any more
than the children of Washington
enjoy those heard at the Central
High" A little boy of 10 writes:
my mother and father say I do
not take interest in my music, but
always take interest in your con-
certs. When I first started COM
ing to the National Symphony
concerts did not know what the
orchestra was made Of, but now
i do because you demonstrate all
the instruments. When I am in
my seat I am very impatient for
the music to begin for I think all
the music played by the orchestra
Is beautiful"
The concerts have opened up
unknown treasures to the more
artistically minded, and have
awakened in them a realization of
the grandeur Of this little bit of
heaven" that was suddenly within
their reach. Betsy Winter, the
winner OF the first prize, wrote of
her impression of the music in
verse. She pictures "The Pine
Trees of the Janiculum"::
Through the gardens fragrant
stiffness floats
A nightingale's clear, liquid
notes.
Moonlight cascades in a silver
Under black pines where lovers
dream.
A young 10-year-old voices the
discoveries that the programs
have brought to him: isn't music
the most beautiful and wonderful
thing there is? I think it much
better than any movies. You can
see beautiful pictures and it tells
wonderful stories. Beethoven
must have been a wonderful COM
poser, his music sounds so great"
A girl Of 13 writes: II knew before
that music was an art, but I
never thought that you painted
a picture with it using dull or ex-
preSSive instruments"
The concerts have proven not
only q Stimulant to further indi-
vidual work, but have supple
mented the music courses of the
school to an appreciate degree.
II get awfully tired Of practicing,"
writes a boy of 9, "but when I
20 to your concerts and see how
Ane it is to be able to play like
the men do, 1t makes me want to
practice more" A 10-year- old
girl says: Il am going to the next
concert If I have a good piano
lesson and I hope you play some
loud and fast music The orches-
ira must have practiced a lot since
last year because they sounded a
lot better and my music teacher
says the more you practice the
better you get"
The entertaining way the music
was explained and the well plan
ned programs were appreciated by
these listeners whose first expert
ence Of long concert form might
otherwise have proven diStaSteful.
"They were just long enough"
says one little girl, mot too long
and not too short. I got so much
more out of them because you told
the story before you began" An