A MUNICIPAL CHOIR

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17223, 13 August 1921, Page 2

A MUNICIPAL CHOIR

SUCCESSFUL INSTITUTION IN AUCKLAND. "The average attendance at the organ recitals last year was double that of tho previous year," said Mr J. Maughan Barnett, organist of Auckland, when speaking of musical progress in ,the "northern city. "Last year onr attendances averaged COS, and on nome occasions we have had 1400 people present." Mr Barnett said that there were several contributing causes to this state of affairs. A vocaiist was always employed at the Saturday evening recitals, and when there was 110 soioist the Municipal Choir contributed four or five numbers. Mr Bnrnett had established the choir over a year ago, and now out of some three hundred applicants, he. had been able to assemble a very good choir of some ninety voices. Ifiach member paid a subscription of 5s a year, and that they were taking an interest in their work and singing well was evident from the growing appreciation that was being shown Dy the public. Only 6d admission was charged all over the hall. Mr Barnett did not hold with free •,recitals. He believed that all classes of the public appreciated the concerts more when they had to pay something, no matter how small the charge. There were those, it had.to be remembered, who could ne,ver in life afford to pay 7s 6 or 10s for the best peats in the Town Hall, who could enjoy that privilege, -and hear good music for a modest sixpence. The recitals wero held practically every Saturday evening. Only on very special occasions was the hall let. for any other purpose 011 that night in the week. Ho deemed that a sound policy, as tho success of the recitals depended in a measure on their regularity. Another contributing cause for the growth of interest in music was the special daylight organ recital for school children. These were held every month or 1 six weeks, and were attended by about two thousand children from the higher standards of the State schools, and on the average each child attended two recitals a year. Recitals were also arranged for tho pupils of the secondary ' schools.' It was good foundation work, which would yield results in time he was quite sure. ___