- Jan 20 Charles Ives' 1st Sonata "Concord" premieres
- Feb 24 Roy Harris' 3rd Symphony premieres in Boston
Music Premiere
Mar 23 1st performance of Béla Bartók's 2nd Violin Concerto at the Concertgebow, Amsterdam with Zoltán Székely on violin and Willem Mengelberg conducting the Concertgebouw Orchestra
Music History
Apr 9 Marian Anderson sings before 75,000 at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Appointment of Interest
May 23 Dmitri Shostakovich appointed professor at conservatory of Leningrad
- Jun 3 "Beer Barrel Polka" by Will Glahe hits #1 on the pop singles chart
Music History
Jul 13 Frank Sinatra makes his recording debut, with The Harry James Orchestra, singing "From the Bottom of My Heart" and "Melancholy Mood"
Radio Premiere
Aug 6 1st broadcast of "Dinah Shore Show" on NBC-radio
The Wizard of Oz
Aug 15 "The Wizard of Oz", American musical fantasy film directed by Victor Fleming and King Vidor, premieres at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood, starring Judy Garland (Dorothy), Ray Bolger (Scarecrow), Jack Haley (Tin Man), Bert Lahr (Cowardly Lion), Frank Morgan (Wizard), Billie Burke (Glinda), and Margaret Hamilton (Wicked Witch)
Music Premiere
Aug 17 Musical film "The Wizard of Oz", starring Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, and Jack Haley opens at Loews Capitol Theatre, NYC
Music Premiere
Oct 18 Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart's musical "Too Many Girls" premieres in NYC
Music History
Oct 20 "All the Things You Are" recorded by Tommy Dorsey Orchestra
Music Recording
Oct 24 Benny Goodman records "Let's Dance"
Music History
Nov 11 Kate Smith first sings Irving Berlin's "God Bless America"
Music History
Nov 17 Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II's "Very Warm for May" premieres in NYC
- Dec 3 Dmitri Shostakovich's 6th Symphony premieres
Music Premiere
Dec 6 Cole Porter's musical "Du Barry Was A Lady" opens at 46th Street Theatre, NYC; runs 408 performances
- Dec 7 William Walton's violinist concert premieres in Cleveland