IN SPITE OF WAR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 306, 28 December 1939, Page 9

IN SPITE OF WAR.

MUSIC WILL GO ON.

MR. ROLAND FOSTER'S VIEWS.

« PREPARE FOR THE FUTURE."

"The best that singers can do now is to prepare for the better time that must undoubtedly come with peace," said Mr. Roland Foster, Fellow of Guildhall School of Music, London, and professor of singing at the New South Wales State Consei'vatorium of Music, who has arrived in port on a honeymoon tour to the Dominion. Mr. Foster pointed out that, although the war had brought music activities to a complete stop in Berlin, Munich, Vienna, Salzburg, Milan and possibly even London, America and Australia had not been as greatly affected as it might be imagined. Little was actually doing in Australia apart from concerts, by touring professionals, who always playefiL to packed houses. Public interest in music, however, had not declined. This fact was evidenced by the continued large number of concerts and the confidence felt in musical

circles that next year's City of Sydney Eisteddfod would see an even greater number of entries than the record number listed for the festival last August. Also, music examinations showed no sign of dropping in eandiuacy numbers. Mr. Foster had a special word of praise for New Zealand singers who have gone, to Sydney for study and have established themselves. He mentions Sybil Phillips, of Auckland, who has now married and restricted her musical activities to amateur operatics. Two other Aucklanders have aroused Mr. Foster's high commendation—Jean Macfarlane and Winifred Clements. Miss Macfarlane, who has a dramatic contralto voice, recently toured Australian national radio stations with great success. Had it not been for the war, she would have gone to London to further her training. ' Miss Clements, who had a coloratura contralto voice, had won the silver trophy of the Australian Broadcasting Commission at the City of Sydney Eisteddfod. A fourth New Zealand singer, Jessie Shaw, of Kihikihi, again a contralto, was praised by Mr. Foster. She had spent a year of important musical engagements in Sydney. Misses Macfarlane, Clements and Shaw had all taken part in operas staged by the Conservatorium of Music during the past year. Miss Clements was now playing in the musical comedy, "Under Your Hat," at the Theatre Royal, Sydney, and would probably be selected to play in the Gilbert and Sullivan Company now being formed by J. C. Williamson to make its periodic Australian and New Zealand tour in 1940. Mr. Foster, who has just celebrated his 25th anniversary as a teacher of music by seeing a pupil of his win for the second year in succession the operatic championship at the eisteddfod, will keep his professional eye open for talent in New Zealand during the month or more which he plans to spend in the country.