PIANO TUITION.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 197, 21 August 1929, Page 8

PIANO TUITION.

MODERN GROUP SYSTEMS. FIRST AUCKLAND DEMONSTRATION A novelty for music-lovers last even- . ing at the Lewis Eadv Hall, was. the , first of a series of public demonstrations on the modern group teaching oi" the piano. Two methods were expounded to the delight of quite a large and enthusiastic audience. The Bavin (British) system, explained by Miss Joyce Parker, showed the children becoming acquainted with the keyboard, notes and then sound and fingering by using a model keyboard prior to being introduced in rotation to the real instrument. At the end of a- year' it is claimed that the possibilities of a pupil are easily estimated and decision made as to whether progress justifies private advanced tuition. A different system, yet wl:th a similar elementary object, to .inspire emulation and imitation in pupils, is the Mary Cochran method, an improvement on the Virgil (English) system, and originated in Australia. The tuition involves amusement and instruction, with rotation values gradually inculcated. It has a close relationship to the Mon'tessori system of educating children through their inherent love of play and rhythm. Both methods, it is claimed, eliminate the years of drudgery in monotonous exercises hitherto associated with, learning the piano. Miss Veda Hutchison (associated with. Miss Wrigley as demonstrator), mentioned that Miss Cochran, now an authority on group teaching, found the Virgil method wanting, and she studied it for many years. She had taught fay her improved method a Sydney professor and had instructed many university students. Miss Cochran, one df the original members of the Conservatorium, was still teaching, and her studio over there is well known. The demonstrations were held under the auspices of the Society of Musicians, whose president (Dr. Kenneth Phillips), gave an outline of the success of group teaching methods. Mr. A. R. Don, of Lewis Eady, Ltd., mentioned that the advantages of class teaching were well known, but it was not intended to supersede individual tuition, nor were the two systems demonstrated intended to com» pete with each other.