Monday, Apr. 06, 1931

Air Lessons

As if to atone in a measure for the harm it has done the piano industry, Radio last week began two courses in piano-instruction, proudly announced it had enrolled 25,000 students for the first lesson. National Broadcasting Co. is paying for both courses, to run for 24 weeks to "rekindle the interest in piano playing in the home . . . recruit the life of the sitting-room and promote the simple amusements of the home which long have languished." N. B. C. sends out free charts to all applicants whereby they can pick out notes on the keyboard, learn immediately to play simple tunes like "Lil'l Liza Jane" and "Music in the Air" without spending tedious weeks on scales.

A Saturday morning course directed by Musical Handyman Sigmund Spaeth over WJZ will have famed musical amateurs for teachers: Writer John Erskine last week, Aviator Charles Sherman ("Casey") Jones this week, with Mrs. Calvin Coolidge, Speaker Nicholas Longworth, Poetess Edna St. Vincent Millay, Architect Kenneth Murchison and Artists Peter Arno and Neysa McMein mentioned as other possibilities.

The second course, on Tuesday afternoons over WEAF, will be taught by Osbourne McConathy, onetime music professor at Northwestern Universitv.

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