Significance Of University’s New School Of Music Plan

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29931, 19 September 1962, Page 12

Significance Of University’s New School Of Music Plan

The Universtiy. of Canterbury has decided to call its music department the university school of music from next January. Much more is involved than a change of name. Next year, by joining experience of practical performance to theoretical studies, the school of music will offer the most comprehensive training available in this country. The appointment to the university of the Alard String Quartet, of Wilmington, Ohio, is the key to this major development. The extent of its services in the university, determined this week, will provide new balance in the training of allround musicians. Quartet's Role The quartet’s performances for the university community and the public of Christchurch will all be geared for the benefit of music students. Within the school of music the members will also undertake extensive teaching. Each member of the quartet will take part in at least six lunch-time recitals which could mean that members are involved in 10 or more recitals as they may also split into smaller groupings, or perform as soloists. Provision has also been made for it to give four evening concerts a year to the “university community” (council, staff, and students) and these will each be repeated as public concerts. In the school of music, the

■ quartet will give demonstrai tions at least once a week • These classes will be shown i the practical aspects of both • composition and playing. ! Each member of the quar- ! tet—Donald Hopkins (first ■ violin), Joanne Zagst (second I violin), Raymond Page : (viola) and Leonard Feldman (’cello) will take three advanced students of their chosen instrument. They will also coach chamber music groups, perform interludes in official university functions, and co-operate with accompaniments and incidental music in artistic productions of other university, departments. Other Aspects Besides the quartet’s teaching, the music department will continue and extend its existing practical work when it becomes the school of music. Professor J. A. Ritchie will still take his 10-year-old classes in conducting and thoral training, Dr M. H. Toovey will do work with the organ and harpsichord. Mr W. Hawkey will take organ and piano, and Mr Maurice Till (who is attached part-time) will give pianoforte recitals and classes as well as playing with the quartet. The whole staff of the school of music and all of the 100 students will thus be involved in the practical aspects of music as well as in the theoretical studies for the degrees of bachelor of arts in music and bachelor of music. The only major

■ gaps in instruction will be for wind instruments and i voice. It is hoped that these i will be tilled later. Regional Developnwnt J Musical interests in CbrustI church are delighted with all . these developments and by 1 the university’s recognition >of the music department's - new stature in conferring the I title school of music Thev • see the new pattern also as i a significant development of . music at the regional level i With Auckland University . now offering an executant . diploma in music, having appointed three string players, part-time woodwind teachers and about to appoint a pianist, it is considered that these two universities have ' cast the die against central--1 isation. ; “All this offers conserva-torium-type training without the highly-selective recruitment and more narrow specialisation which would be inevitable in a national conservatorium of music.” said one musician. Professor Ritchie puts it another way. "The most important aim of this departi ment is to ensure that music ! will remain a humanity, first and foremost, in the faculty of arts.” he said. From October 1, money on loan for 12 months or longer would earn 4 per cent, interest. the chairman of the Canterbury Savings Bank (Mr M. A. Connelly, M.P.) announced this week.