Musicians Went Round And Round

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30072, 5 March 1963, Page 18

Musicians Went Round And Round

(New Zealand Press /ssociation)

AUCKLAND, March 3.

The 101 member* of the Polish National Radio Orchestra trooped wearily from their aircraft at Whenuapai this morning with a single thought —bed.

Though they are professionals and hardened tn the schedules of a rigorous tour through six countries, Saturday night and Sunday morning daunted them. The orchestra presented a concert in Brisbane on Saturday night. When the concert ended, the musicians had to change into travelling clothes for the flight to New Zealand, timed for departure from Brisbane at 1 am.

But delay in moving their instruments from the city to the airport set back the departures of their two chartered aircraft by an hour. It was just as well. The first aircraft arrived over Whenuapai shortly before 8 a m. to find the airport hidden in thick fog.

While the Auckland member of the Broadcasting Commission, Mr J. A. Stenberg, broadcasting officials. Polish New Zealanders and three small children in national costume waited patiently be-, low, the airliner circled above the fog bank—for an hour and a half. By 9.30 am. the first aircraft was able to land. Half an hour later the rest of the orchestra was on the ground. As he marshalled the last of the orchestra aboard buses, the tour manager (Mr K. Bien) confessed to an urgent need of sleep. “I only had about an hour last night,” he said. Under the conductor Jan

Keen, the orchestra ha* given 29 concerts in the Soviet Union, Mongolia, China, Hong Kong. Japan and Australia. By the time they reach Potend again .the musicians wiß have played 55 concerts. There will be eight in New

Zealand—<6wo at Auckland, one at Hamilton, two in Wellington, one at Dunedin and two in Christchurch. The travel bill between countries is being paid by the (Pblish Government But costa inside New Zealand are the Broadcasting Corporation’s responsibility. ’ “Making ends meet,” said Mr Stenberg “is the prblem.”