SCHOOL MUSIC.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18917, 4 February 1927, Page 16

SCHOOL MUSIC.

MAKING IT INTERESTING. WORK OF NEW DIRECTOR. •'lt is cot sufficiently brought to the notice of children that there are other musical instruments besides the piano, and I propose to work on fairly broad musical lines, with the idea that, when children up, they will become sufficiently advanced in music to become members of musical societies and orchestras," said Mr !. Vernon Griffiths, who arrived in Christchurch from England yesterday. Mr Griffiths ia to take up the position of Director of Music in Schools under the Canterbury Judication Board, and ho will also bo lecturer in music at the Teachers' Training College, and conductor of the Jtoval Uiristcliurcli Musical Society. Mr Griffiths told a representative of The Press vesterday that at St. Edmund's, Canterbury, where ?i ho was <enior music master, one of Gilbert and .Sullivan's comic operas was produced almost every year, all tho parts being taken bv the pupils. While at St. hdmund's'Mr Griffiths was given a free hand to work out his theories on musical education, and ho considers that okc of the most important aspects is tho fostering of tho team spirit. . -. • the teaching of music to children m bodies, and making them realise that it is more pleasurable to work together than as soloists. That was tho style adopted in the Elizabethan era. ••[ should liko to sec attention paid, not only to vocal training, but also to training in orchestral music," said Mr Griffiths. "I understand that there is a shortage of orchestral players in New Zealand, and a start must be made somewhere. The place to make that start is in the schools, not only with the strings, but also wood-wind and brass." . , "I don't believe in tho eternal practice, practice, practice, and no results, said Mr Griffiths. "Tho underlying factor in teaching music to children is to get tlicm interested, from the start, with a band, choral work, a small musical play, or something of that sort, and then, after going through the work in an interesting manner, new it as a whole." , „ , Mr Griffiths favours James Browns polychordia system for the strings, which can be applied to all tho instruments when teaching children. , "What do you think of tho tonic solfa svstem?" asked the reporter , - "I recognise that it is important in the'early stages perhaps," said Mr Griffiths, "but the sooner children get on to staff notation tho better. Graded ear-training, ho said, was now available with staff-notation, and this could develop the faculty of distinguishing minuto differences of tone, for instance, between tho oboe and the clarionet. . ... . „ Speaking of elocution, which enters into Mr Griffiths' work, ho said that too much attention was paid to detail. "Most children hate Greek plays and the plays of Shakespeare as they arc read in the schools. The child is continually being.asked, 'What tense is that?' There is not enough attention given to getting through a play, and then viewing it as a whole. The tremendous increase in the use of the gramophone in schools brought great commendation''from Mr Griffiths who said that New Zealand, a country so youug, had made amazing progress in its musical education. As a result of the music in schools moVenW. Mr Griffiths is the third muiician to arrive in New Zealand. In Wellington is Mr Douglas Taylor (in the service of the Education Department and^rf Auckland Mr Holingrake.