The Detroit Tribune

Musicians Gather Here In National Convention

FORMAL OPENING TO BE HELD AT BETHEL A.M.E. CHURCH, MON., AUGUST THE 24TH

Delegates, contestants, and visitors, interested in the National Scholarship Auditions to be held at Bethel A. M. E. Church, Friday evening, August 21, began arriving in Detroit Thursday, representing the advance guard of the three hundred musicians who are expected to attend the seventeenth annual convention of the National Negro Musicians' Association, Inc. Sessions will begin Sunday, August 23, and will continue through Thurs., August 27.

Amateur musicians from all parts of the United States will compete in the auditions. Friday night, for the $100 scholarship award. The local contestants include Miss LaVilla Tullos, B. DeWitt Jones, Miss Fannie Blalock. Miss Martha Johnson, Ardriel Phillingames, and Rhecha Ross.

The convention will launch its unofficial opening, with a "Donors' Day" mass meeting, at Second Baptist Church, 411 Monroe street, Sunday afternoon. Miss Hallie Q. Brown. noted orator and musician, will be guest speaker.

Convention activities proper will begin Monday morning. with the formal opening of the sessions at Bethel Church. convention headquarters.

Children's Program

The Monday program will include the registration of delegates board of directors' meeting: and appointment of committees in the morning. After a recess there will be reports of the committees, with children's matinee at 63e East Kirby avenue at four o'clock in the afternoon. Monday night will be Detroit night at Ebenezer A. M. E. church,. Willis avenue and Brush street. A reception will follow.

A demonstration by piano players will follow the general conference Tuesday morning. The convention picture will be made after the noon recess. (This will be followed by a junior session. and later a program sponsored by students at People's Baptist church.

Part one of national branch night will be held at Ebenezer Tuesday evening. A reception follows.

Business session artist conference and conductors' conference will precede the recess for lunch Wednesday morning.

Organ conference followed by presentation of outstanding new talent. will be the result of the scholarship audition, the final of which will be held Friday night. August 21. at Bethel A. M. E. church. The convention choir will entertain at Wayne University. Warren and Cass avenue, Wednesday night.

day night.

Hit Jazzing Spirituals

Probably one of the most serious conferences of the convention
Nat'l. President

MISS CAMILLE L U C I E NICKERSON, of Washington, D. C., efficient president of the National Negro Musicians' Association, Inc. Miss Nickerson is a member of the Howard University music faculty, and an interpreter of Creole folk music.

will be held Thursday morning.

This is the special conference on Negro music and will have to do with the desecration of Negro spirituals. This desecration comes in the form of jazzing these sacred numbers.

The election of officers will be held Thursday afternoon, preceding a memorial service for departed members

There will be a sight-seeing tour

The big feature of the convention will be artists night at Detroit Institute of Arts at which time Mr. R. Nathaniel Dett, of Rochester, N. Y., pianist and composer will conduct the convention chorus of 100 voices. singing "I Heard Of A City Called Heaven" (Handy), "Weeping Mary" (Dett), "The Pilgrim Chorus" (Wagner). and "Music In The Mine" (Dett). In addition, there will be Miss Margaret Bond, pianist who has appeared as guest artist with Chicago Symphony Orchestra:.

Anne Brown, soprano, star with Porgy and Bess, and Bernard Lee Mason, violinist.

The present officers of the association are: Miss Camille L. Nickerson. head of the department of music at Howard university. president: Kemper Harrell. Atlanta. vice-president; J. Wesley Jones. director of music Metropolitan Community Center, Chicago, executive secretary: Clara K. Hill. Indianapolis, recording secretary. and George H. Hutchinson, Chicago, treasurer.
Executive Secretary

J. WESLEY JONES, of Chicago, who is executive secretary of the National Association Negro Musicians Inc., which will open its seventeenth annual convention in Detroit. Sunday. Mr. Jones is director of Metropolitan Choir and director of Chicagoland Festival Choir.
Violinist

BERNARD LEE MASON, of Des Moines, Iowa, gifted violinist, who will appear on "National Night" p r o g r a m Thursday, August 27, at the convention of the National Associations, Negro Musicians Inc.