at the piano
Like Ronald Gourley , who was at the Royal Normal College for the Blind before him, Stanley van Raalte overcame the handicap of being almost blind from birth. Studying the piano at college, he took naturally to theatre-organ playing and was organist at the Gaumont Palace, Lewisham, for four years.
His first broadcast was with Claude Bampton 's Band, and he has accompanied Pat and Vera Lennox on tour. In March this year he made his debut as a solo pianist, and has since broadcast to the Empire. In the summer of 1937 he was engaged as pianist at Butlin's Holiday
Camp, Skegness. He is a nephew of Julian Jones , for fourteen years Musical Director of the London Hippodrome.
Today van Raalte will play one of his own compositions, ' Transatlantic Flight which has been heard by Empire listeners. His programme will consist of popular music arranged by himself.