Salt Lake Telegram | 1928-09-02 | Page 5 | Giles Says Utah Schools Lead in Music Education

Giles Says Utah Schools Lead in Music Ed Education University Professor Back From Summer Slimmer at U. U of Iowa Music generally throughout Utah as far as the educational phase Is concerned Is' Is superior to the a 1 age that is to be found In Inthe the middle mid ml dIe dle western states Including Including- Iowa Iona according to conclusions drawn by Professor Thomas Giles GUes head hend ot of the music department ot of the UnIversity University sity or of Utah who has been profess sor of piano at the University of Iowa during the past year rear Professor Professor Pro Pro- fessor Giles has just returned to Salt Lake to t take ke up his work at atthe the universIty for the coming year While In Iowa Professor Giles GlIes made nn an Interesting study of the music In the schools hIgh schools and colleges there In addition to his work and studies at the UnIversity University sity ot of Iowa At tIe tle university he studied the varIous phases of psychology of music and the physIcs ot of sound He studIed acoustIcs under under un- un der Professor George W. W Steward an authorIty on the physics of sound soun psychology of musIc and speech under Dr Milton MUton sel the psychology y ot of musIc under Dr Christian and he was closely associated with Dean Carl FJ E. Seashore of the graduate college who directed his efforts along lInes or of research In the psycho cho ogy of music UTAH HIGH SCHOOLS BEST BESTIn In c commenting upon the relatIve qualities ot of the musIc of U middle west and that ot of Utah Professor Giles made the followIng statements statements state state- ments The East hIgh school of Des MoInes Ia a city the same size as Salt SaIt Lake City Is no match for forthe forthe the East high school of Salt Lake Lakein In musIcal lines Most second and third class hIgh schools those wIth enrollments between and students are similarly behInd the average Utah Utah high hIgh school of the same sIze In regard to their work In music It Is quIte true that In I Isolated sectIons or of the state of Iowa fine hIgh school music Is available The Thomas Jefferson high school or of Council Bluffs exe ex- ex e c s s In v vocal cal music while the Abraham Abraham Abra- Abra ham Lincoln hIgh school or of the same city has long been known for its championshIp bands and orches- orches tras Waterloo and Cedar Rapids Ia have splendId music but In each Instance their standards are equaled by most Utah schools of the same size and excelled in many Instances PRODUCTION BETTER HERE Schools In west of the same grade as the Branch AgrIculture ture college at Cedar City are not in a posItIon to successfully attempt attempt at- at tempt a musical production comparable comparable com com- parable to the operas produced at Cedar City during ehe past few years A like statement is true concerning such unIversIty productionS productions as Samson et DaUla and Aida In the Ule matter ot of professional I musIc to he be found In park bands theatres etc there Is no doubt of the superIority ot of the mIddle west westover westover over the west Cities of halt half the population 0 Lake have orchestras orchestras or- or o of often twice the size In movIe theatres Symphony orchestras orchestras orches- orches tras or of faIrly competent musIcians are located In fIve clUes cities ot of Iowa The same ratio m ill apply to the majorIty of midwestern states FESTIVAL HELD Cooperation between th the University University sity of Iowa and the various hIgh schools of the state Is brought about In a similar manner to the way it is done in Utah accordIng to Professor Giles i A specIal hIgh school musical festival is held in May under the auspIces or of the UniversIty University Uni- Uni of Iowa at which musical contests are held similar to those held at the UniversIty of Utah on hIgh school day only hey are conducted conducted con con- ducted on a much larger scale Professor GIles acted as judge at various dIstrict contests where those who were to compete at the t-he of Iowa In ht the final contests contests con con- tests were selected and he was an Interested observer of f the finals at atthe atthe the unIversIty during all the high school musIc day contests NEED OF COOPERATION Professor Giles was hIgh In his praIse ot of the treatment he personally personally person person- ally received while a member of the UniversIty of Iowa faculty However How How- ever whIle praIsIng the teachIng staff ot of the university for theIr capability and learnIng he said Cooperation such as s exIsts at the UnIversity of Utah between the various various va- va rious departments and between the various arious members of the teachIng staff is notably lackIng Jt it the University University Uni- Uni or of Iowa Moreover l students students stu- stu dents and undergraduates especially especially espe- espe receive very lIttle attention from the fa faculty While away from the UnIversity of Utah Professor Giles traveled extensively by auto through all parts o Iowa and much of the middle middle mid mid- dle west and as far east as New York He attended a number of the bIg musIcal performances In varIous parts of the middle west I