Evening star., 1942-04-21
Symphony Orchestra
InstiIks Love Of Good
Music in Youth
400 Per Cent increase
In Attendance Is One
Induction of Success

This is the second OF series
] OF articles on the activities OF the
] National Symphony Orchestra,
Hoig conducting d campaign 10
raise $4,000 for its 1928
/ season
Letters Of appreciation from
I youthful music lovers and nearly
a 400 per cent increase in attend
snce have been the most convincing
/ evidence 10 the National Symphony
Orchestra Of the success of its an
nual concert programs for school
children.
The idea for symphony TO step
/ down from white-tie formality 10
the adolescent informalty Of the
schoolroom wss originated during
! the 1882 season by the orches-
tra's conductor. DR.. Hans Kinder
He has been accorded major credit
for results.
During that first season II years
ago, eight concerts were given in
the Central High School auditorium.
Attendance was good on the start
and 1t grew so rapidly that within
short time steps were under way TO
divide the concerts between differ
ent schools. More than 5000 young
sters between the ages of and Is
were present at the program that
recently concluded the latest series.
Personal Attention,
Attendance the first year was
1874 IN 194l-2 it was 26,705.
While no foe to swing or popular
music, DR.. Kinder has felt all along
that children love good music in
stinctively, that they find 1t dull
and meaningless in some instances
only because 1t is badly presented.
For that reason. the conductor him
self has attended to the presenta-
ton of National Symphony pro-
grams for children.
His talks to the youngsters have
led critics to describe him as one
Of the most interesting speakers
they had heard. He speaks simply,
phrasing the intricacies of Mozart
and Beethoven and Rimsky-Kor-
sakow in terms more fitted to swing.
At a recent public gathering. he
confessed his delight at the letters
he has received from members of
his juvenile audiences. A I0-year-
old boy, for instance, wrote him that
II certainly never thought when
mother dragged me to the concerts
last year that I would learn to like
and enjoy them as much as have
this winter. Even the play Huckle-
berry Finn couldn't make me miss
the concert on December IT."
That boy added: Your talks about
the instrument families have in
terested me most. I like the wood
winds best. although the violins are
very melodious. The brasses make
me think Of our family when my
three brothers and I get to rough
housing I shall never forget how
thrilled was with the music of the
Pines OF Rome and the way the
orchestra played it."
Won Over by Concert.
Another message, from a Fairfax
High School pupil, explained that
this is the first letter of gratitude
I have ever written"
IT am humbled." confessed its
author, ito admit that I have never
attended any of your concerts.
Furthermore, had always believed
that was indifferent to symphonic
music and its technicalitieS. But
then you came to Fairfax and, DR..
Kinder, TO my surprise, I enjoyed
your performance.
All letters are attended to and
filed. Even the youthful fan who
wrote Il am a young artist or
genius" and asked between you
and me, DR.. Kinder, do you have
q colored bass player in the orches-
trap" got reply (The answer to
his query was no.
DR.. Kinder reads every letter.
He reads them, he says, and works
toward the future with the con-
viction that there is truth in the
written statement he once received
from local pupil: "If every child
could hear your concerts, then all
children would love music"