The talking machine world (July-Dec 1928)

Regulations for the School Band Contests National Bureau for the Advancement of Music Announces Regulations for New York State and National Contests Regulations for New York State and National school band contests to be held in 1929 under auspices of the Committee on Instrumental Affairs of the Music Supervisors' National Conference have been announced by the National Bureau for the Advancement of Music. Band contests in both State and National events will be open to five classes, instead of four as heretofore. The first four classes will consist of bands in high schools and other public and private institutions with (A) an enrolment of more than 600; (B) an enrolment of from 250 to 600; (C) enrolment of less than 250; (D) bands organized less than a year. The fifth class will be composed of bands in junior high and grammar schools. Only bands in classes A and B will be eligible to compete in the national contest which will be held in Denver next May 23-25, but bands from other classes may participate but will have to play class A and B music. The closing date for entries in State contests has been set for March 1, and the committee will award prizes in States with a minimum of three entries. State trophies will be awarded the winners of first places in Class A in each State, and the winners of first and second places in the first two classes in State contests will be eligible to compete in the national contest. In the Year Book issued by the committee, containing information about the 1929 contests, the National and State contests of 1928 are reviewed. The committee co-operated in thirty State contests, beside those of the New England section and the National contest held in Joliet, 111. In the latter event twenty-seven bands from fourteen States participated, the contesting organizations representing the pick of more than 500 bands in States as widely separated as New York and California. It is estimated that a total of at least 25,000 youthful musicians took part in these State contests. The Toliet High School band at the 1928 meet, won the national trophy for the third time, thereby retaining it. The school band movement, the report states, has had a remarkable growth since 1924 when the first State contests were held under the auspices, or with the co-operation of the committee. The State contests culminated in the first National contest in 1926, when thirteen bands from ten States competed for the National trophy at Fostoria, O. In 1927 twentythree bands from fourteen States participated at Council Bluffs, la. Telegraph Orders for School Bandmasters Silver Bell Banjos Form Organization Demand for Bacon Banjo Co. Products Both From Home and Abroad Indicates Improved Conditions Groton, Conn., December 6. — Telegraph and cable orders for B. & D. Silver Bell banjos are being received daily by the Bacon Banjo Co., this city, a sure sign of healthy trade conditions, according to D. L. Day, treasurer and general manager of the company. One nice order came through recently from South Africa, and a shipment of twenty-three banjos was made to Australia a short time ago. The Chicago Musical Instrument Co. sent in a telegraphic order for sixteen instruments, six of these being for Roy Smeck stage model gold-plated Silver Bell banjos and four for Montana Special Silver Bell instruments. Another telegram from George Peate, Canadian distributor for the Bacon concern, ordered a Ne Plus Ultra Silver Bell plectrum model. Letters of praise for the Silver Bell banjos have never been so abundant. Below is one from a professional, Lee Warren, Drexel Hills, Philadelphia, who writes as follows: "I am writing to let you know that I bought a Silver Bell in Portland, Maine, last week. I had a chance to sell my banjo. I liked the tone and power of that particular instrument so well that I bought it. It has 'guts' like iron. The tone cuts through the rest of the band so that I don't have to play loud and cover up any other instrument, and when I play the 'upper-register' I see why you have named it 'Silver Bell.' The notes have a quality which can best be described as 'bell-like.'" Representative Leaders of Northern California Form Organization — State Contest During San Francisco Music Week San Francisco, Cal., December 6. — The school bandmasters of northern California, who have effected preliminary organization, met recently and completed the details of permanent organization. E. J. Delano, of Sherman, Clay & Co., was in the chair and there was a good representation of the bandmasters present. A constitution and by-laws were adopted, and it was resolved to adhere to the national rules. Officers and directors elected are, president, E. P. Alwyn, Princeton, Cal.; vice-president, Thomas Willis, Sacramento; secretary, Eugene Broe of Burlingame; treasurer, Earl Morton, Berkeley, and in addition to the foregoing officers the board of directors includes George D. Ingrim of the Mission High School, San Francisco, member at large. It was voted to accept the invitation of the San Francisco Civic Association to hold a State school band contest in San Francisco during the 1929 Music Week, as was done during the past two annual music weeks. Delano said that the band contest committee in 1929 will be practically the same as in the past and will include the local dealers in band instruments. The only difference at the coming Music Week will be that the contest committee will have a tie-up with the executive committee of the Northern California School Bandmasters' Association, and this will result in more co-operation, especially regarding some of the details of the contest. The King Music Co., New Orleans, La., recently equipped the McComb, Miss., city school band with King instruments and Ludwig drums. The Melody Music Shop, Memphis, Tenn., is now located at its new quarters at 13 South Main street. Saul Bluestein is manager. R0NQ The Oldest and Largest Musical Merchandise House inAmerica Exclusively Wholesale ESTABLISHED 1834 G.Brvno§-So^inc. 351-53Fovrth Ave. NewYork&ty 109 BACON BANJOS Sold by Representative Music Merchants \ BACON BANJO CO., Inc. GROTON, CONN.