SCHOOL MUSIC

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27986, 5 June 1956, Page 10

SCHOOL MUSIC

SEMINAR HELD IN AUSTRALIA

MR KEITH NEWSON RETURNS

The flexibility of the New Zealand Education Department’s policy in school music, as in other aspects of education, has distinct advantages which enable this country to keep well abreast of the most advanced developments, in the opinion of Mr Keith Newson, senior lecturer in music at the Christchurch Teachers’ College, who returned by air yesterday after attending a seminar on music in education held by the Australian UNESCO Committee. This was a regional extension of the international conference held in Brussels in 1953 under he auspices of UNESCO and the International Music Council.

The New Zealand efforts to balance equally vocal and instrumental music j in schools seemed to be in line with the methods of leading overseas authorities. and in some respects the Dominion was well ahead in development. Mr Newson said. There appeared to be nothing comparable, for instance, with the general participation in music of pupils at the King Edward Technical College, Dunedin. The instrumental classes available on Saturday mornings to primary children in Christchurch. Dunedin, and l ower Hutt aroused great interest, and it was gratifying to compare the Christchurch primary schools’ music festival of five nights with 50 children drawn from each of 40 schools and the Sydney festival on three nights with 24 children from each of 95 schools, remembering that the population there was 2.000,000. •’Australia, like New Zealand, feels that at this period when increasing school roils are straining the recruitment of teachers it is impossible to provide music specialists in primary education.” Mr Newson said. However, advisers in music could give considerable assistance to ordinary teachers until such time as specialists could be appointed. Mr Newson said he personally favoured this idea, which could also materially help implement the seminar recommendation for more in-service training in music. Secondary School Training

Australian training of secondaryschool music specialists had the distinct advantage of a three or fouryear course at the conservatorium, with the final year spent at a teachers’ college. Tn New Zealand these teachers usually took a university degree in music or a diploma from one of :he Royal schools of music privately, and then had only a year of graduate teacher training. “We need conservatorium training in this country,” said Mr Newson.

The Chief Inspector of Music in the British Ministry of Education (Mr Bernard Shore)told the seminar that experiments were being made with the introduction of the glockenspiel, chime bar. and guitar in schools. This innovation had already started in New Zealand. Mr Newson said. Therqr was a general tendency for early percussion ■nstrument work to move directly into melody instrument instruction, and Miss Heather Gell. the Australian authority on Dalcroze eurhythmies, demonstrated the association of percussion instruments with free movement activities.

Musical instruments were costly in Australia—a bassoon cost £250 there, compared with £9O here, and even a consort of recorders cost £5B. compared with less than £3o—largely because of a 40 per cent, sales tax. Subsidies for school instruments were comparable. The seminar urged the provision of well-equipped music rooms in all schools. Mr Newson said, and there was a recommendation that gramophone companies retain 78 revolutions-per-minute recordings because of their wide use in education.

The formation was approved of an Australian and New Zealand Society for Music in Education. It will be associated with the international society formed in Brussels. Professor John Bishop, who holds the Elder chair of music at the University of Adelaide, will be convener with a committee’ comprising Dr. Percy Jones, vice-prin-cipal of the Melbourne Conservatorium; Mr Frank Callaway, formerly of Christchurch and now reader in music at the University of Western Australia: Miss Dorothy Helmrich, the well-known Australian singer; and Mr Newson, as New Zealand representative. Mr Jack Bornoff. secretary of the International Music Council suggested the formation of a national musjc committee in New Zealand to affiliate with his organisation. There )Y ere , moves also for closer links through music with the countries of South-east Asia.