ORCHESTRAL COURSE

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31054, 9 May 1966, Page 16

ORCHESTRAL COURSE

Pupils Here For Week

More than 100 secondary school pupils from all parts of New Zealand have assembled in Christchurch for the annual orchestral holiday course.

Until next Friday they will study orchestral practice under the direction of the national adviser on school music (Mr H. Walden Mills, of Wellington). On Friday night they vill present Beethoven’s Ist Symphony at the Teachers’ College in Kilmore street.

The holiday course is the sixth held for senior music pupils by Mr Mills, who said yesterday he was very pleased w’th the interest taken by the children and their progress from year to year. Most of those attending the present course had attended the course in previous years.

Mr Mills said the national schools’ orchestra was a step-ping-stone for the most gifted musicians to the National Youth Orchestra. The ability of some pupils was really outstanding. The pupils attending this week are evenly divided between boys and girls. All are between the ages of 13 and 17 and have passed grade five or its equivalent of the Royal Schools’ practical examination.

Students from other centres are staying with the families of Christchurch pupils during the school. Some have come from as far as Whangarei and Invercargill. The largest contingent is from Auckland.