MUSICAL FESTIVAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 152, 9 April 1930, Page 6

MUSICAL FESTIVAL.

PROPOSAL AT AUCKLAND. (Special to the “Guardian.”) AUCKLAND, April 8. At an enthusiastic public meeting last evening, strong support was given to a proposal to arrange a musical festival week from August 17 to 23. The Mayor (Mr G. Baildon), who presided, said that similar festivals were being arranged throughout the Dominion to revive public interest in music and local talent. “We have always been justly proud of our place in the arts and why should we be slack about music to-day? asked Dr. S. K. Phillips, president of the Sbciety of Musicians. Gramophone music was all right in its place, and it gave people the opportunity of hearing good music that they otherwise would not hear, but to produce the emulative spirit the public needed to attend local concerts and encourage local artists. For that reason the Festival Society would not ask the Broadcasting Company to broadcast its concerts. Tt wanted to get the public into the halls. Representatives of the Auckland Choral Society, the Auckland Society of Professional Musicians, the Musicians’ Union, the Bohemian Orchestra, the Roval Auckland Choir, the Ponsonbv Boys’ Brass Band, the Blind Institute Band, school musical societies and other bodies supported the movement.