Radio and Music in U.S.A.

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 11, 25 September 1931, Page 5

Radio and Music in U.S.A.

A Visitor’s Impressions hee

(By

Call Up

R. SYD. SLY, perhaps the Dominion’s best-known player of brass instruments, has some interesting impressions to relate of his recent sojourn in the United States. Mr. Sly, who teaches in Auckland, spent two years in the States, being most of this time in Los Angeles, where, although conditions "were far from good, he secured work with most of the leading bands. There is no dearth of music in Los angeles," says Mr. Sly. "There are at ten big radio stations giving a twenty-four-hour .a.day service, and there are innumerable bands and orchestras. The radio stations are oper--ated by the big newspapers and by commercial concerns, and such people as Aimee MacPherson, the evangelist. At any hour of the day one can pick up any type of programme, from jazz to sermons. "There are bands at all the first-class hotels, in the parks during the summer months, at the beach cities, and at places of entertainment, so that the Los Angeles citizen has music almost wherever he goes. There are also about two hundred players working for the talkies, but even so there is a great deal of unemployment among musicians. "A feature of the city’s music is the fact that every secondary school for both sexes has its bands. One primary school had a band of forty-five players. The university of Southern California has a very fine band of about a hundred and fifty players The band at Long Beach, a very popular resort, is now conducted by Herbert Clark, who enjoys .& world-wide reputation as solo cornetist. "Although there are so many unemployed musicians, the ones who are for‘tunate enough to be in positions receive

excellent rates of pay. Remuneration is strictly regulated by the American Federation of Musicians, 2 very powerful body which conducts musical matfers with an iron hand. ¥For radio contracts there is a weekly minimum of thirty-five dollars a player for half-an-hour or less a day, but many players receive more than this. Two hundred dollars a week is quite an ordinary thing for talkie work. Hven for broadgasting all rehearsals are paid for, " "While I was in Los Angeles, Paul Whiteman and his band visited the city, proving as popular as ever. Incidentally I had the pleasure of meeting him personally, and also Ben Bernie and Al. Kauffman, notable figures in the dance band world." Mr. Sly, who went to America with the express purpose of getting the Jatest ideas and tuition in regard to brass playing, considers that in America the playing of most brass instruments has undoubtedly reached a higher standard than it has here, but says there is no reason why, with proper tuition, New Zealand players should not ultimately reach an equally high standard. Mr. Sly is a trombone and trumpet specialist, although he can play any brass instrument. He is to play the trombone in the new 1YA