MUSIC FESTIVAL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 200, 24 August 1937, Page 6

MUSIC FESTIVAL.

Tie thrill from hearins the fine singing of the massed choirs at last Wednesday's performance is marred by the reflection that, these promising young people are not receiving at the hands of onr education authorities the foundation which is their due, aad which is being given to v-hi-dren in other countries. The future of our adult societies and choirs would *eem until one Tealises that scarcely any of the children in the choir conM sin? a. bar of music at sight- I should like to believe thi= were untrue, but wil] any teacher assert and be willing to demonstrate that I am ■β-rons* We are actually over forty years behind our former achievements. I quote from y.iur former popnlar journal. -The Xew- Zealand Graph)'." of 1??2: "Practical proof was given of the value of tfce system (sol-fa» in enaaiins people to sing nr.i-ic at first sicht. A larse rieet twelve feet nn which wa-= written a of more than averaire diffku'.ty. was htmc at the rear of the platform in the course of tbe eveninc. A tor.ic sol-fa choir was then called upon, who sans the "notes first to "la." then the words w;th a r?a<lines«: arid T're.-:s;on called forth land aro'aase from the audiecce." Tf I mistake not. Mr. J. L. Tm?e«=. who rsve thf» demonstration, was a pnMic s-boo? teaeber ard is *t:l] in A';-kland. It wonVd be interesting to hear his comments on the present position in schools as reeards abfiny to sir.r. especially to read nn>=ie at si?ht. ' My own experience ha* been disaspoilt ins. D?VET:.