| 1917 | Jan 15 | Leaves the Institute of Musical Art at his own request. |
| | Aug 18 | Produces The Building of Bamba at the annual convention of
The Temple of the People at Halcyon (near Oceano), Califor-
nia. His music is to a script by John 0. Varian, a leader of the
theosophist group centered there. Provides entire accompaniment
for soloists, chorus, general pageantry on the piano. |
| 1918 | Feb 23 | Enlists in army. Spends most of 15 months as assistant director
and flutist in a band at Camp Crane, near Allentown,
Pennsylvania. |
| 1919 | May 6 | Discharged, embarks on career as composer-pianist. |
| | Nov 29 | Gives the first New York all-Cowell concert, assisted by singer
and violinist, in John Wanamaker Auditorium, sponsored by the
Globe's "Our Family Music" program. Repeats the program on
4 December for the Bahai Community of New York. |
| 1923 | May 29 | After three years of building a touring career in the U.S.A., sails
for Europe; spends eight months playing in Central Europe,
France, and England, gaining wide publicity (or notoriety) as
composer-pianist. |
| 1924 | Feb 4 | Returns to the U.S.A. just in time for his formal debut in New
York at Carnegie Hall, followed on 17 February by a second
concert at Town Hall. General press reaction a guffaw of one
kind or another, but he also wins some praise. Paul Rosenfeld
in The Dial (76:4, Apr. p389-90) writes that "in an age of small
technical innovations he cuts a not unrespectable figure . . . new
lovely rolling sounds occur . . . the people who called for strait
jackets had better be calling for ears for themselves." |
| 1925 | | Himself established, undertakes to bolster the fortunes of other
composers of new music by establishing the New Music Soci-
ety: first concert 22 October in Los Angeles. Becomes a board
member of the International Composers' Guild. |
| 1927 | | First contacts with Charles Ives, who becomes the foremost con-
tributor of funds to the New Music Society's Quarterly and other
activities. |
| 1928 | | Becomes lecturer on music (and later director of musical ac-
tivities) at the New School for Social Research, New York. Is
named to the board of advisers of the League of Composers. |
