Evening star., 1952-07-27
News Of Music:

Now and then, releases from
the headquarters Of the National
Federation of Music Clubs stress
in special manner the great work
of this organization. While other
groups spring into nlomentary
prominence with some particular
contribution to culture, the feder-
alton follows a steady course of
continuously helping musicians
all over the world to fulfill the
promise of their talent. Where
ever the need is, the federationt
can be counted upon to have dis
covered it and to have done some
thing constructive Immediately.
Lately. the federation has been
busy in different portions of the
globe. In Helsinki. Finland, the
Sibelius Academy has been put on
the list as being in need Of various
kinds Of musical supplies. Teach
ing material and music have been
shipped to the school with a conf
plete set of recorders for it's jun
ior department included as a fed
GRAFTON gift. The new College of
Music In Pusan, Korea, re-estab-
hShed there after the South Ko-
reans were forced to evacuate
Seoul, is receiving shipment of
materials. The University of the
East in Manila, which lost nearly
all its supplies, will be assisted in
rehabilitation through the fed
Grafton.
Keen interest is felt also in the
youth concerts of the Tokyo Phil
harmonic which were founded by
an American. Eloise Cunningham.
Miss Cunningham, the daughter
of missionary parents. lived most
Of her life in the Far East. She
recently returned to her post in
Japan with Ga after a visit here,
and took with her, as a federation |
gift, q new French horn for the
f1rst-horn player of the Tokyo
Orchestra. Besides a complete set /
Of replacement parts for the or
chestral instruments, the fedora
ton sent 183 albums of records,
which we're donated by the Young !
Peoples Concerts Committee of
the New York Philharmonic.
Group Works Quietly
This quiet but important work !
of the federation'S International
music relations department has
been going on for a long time.
Conceived after the war, when a
plea from the Athens Symphony |
for replacement parts for the in
StrurhentS of the orchestra made |
the federation conscious of what |
war had done to music making, its
activity has increased with the
years. During a two-year period,
S7,136 pieces of music were sent to
conductors and teachers abroad.
The cost of equipping the
Athens Symphony was 81 800. paid
from federation funds. With the
increasing requests for help, the
group enlisted member clubs in al
vast plan of musical charity. The
Fred Gretsch Co, a firm of instru-
ment makers in New York, devised
. standardized package which it
sold for the low price of $40. Eight
Of these packages would repair all
the instruments of an orchestra.
The same sized packages could
contain also sheet music and in
struction books or other items. The
member clubs were asked to buy
whatever kind of package they de-
sired from the list Of what was
needed. The name and address of
the club was inserted so that the
recipients would know their bene-
factors.
The Division of Libraries and
Institutes of the State Department
arranged to have the packages
sent in the departments mail
pouches free of charge and de-
livered to American embassies or
consulates. which turned them
over to the group, school or in
diVidual consignee. The member
clubs staged various affairs to
raise money and we're amply re-
paid by correspondence with the
Europeans which started with the
hrst thank you" letter.
Awards for Youth
On the home front, the fedora
ton announces its goth biennial
young artists additions to take