Conductor In Solo

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31768, 27 August 1968, Page 8

Conductor In Solo

through the influence of his wife, the violinist Ruth Pearl—they toured smaller centres, recently in an ensemble sponsored by the

Dobbs Franks, conductor and musical director of the .Christchurch Civic Orchestra, will appear in'a third role in the orchestra’s “Music ’6B” prom concert on Sunday afternoon. He will, as usual, conduct and Introduce the music; and he will also be the piano soloist in Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue.” Although Mr Franks began his career as a pianist, gained his bachelor of music degree in the instrument, and studied it at Juilliard in New Yqrk under Katherine Bacon, he gave up the piano some years ago in favour of conducting. Recently, however, he has been rediscovering the instrument, partly because he missed the chamber music repertoire, and partly

Chamber Music Federation, And have given several recitals over the YC stations. Mr Franks went to Juilllard to study the piano after winning a piano contest in Memphis which carried a scholarship to the graduate school of his choice. He made several concert tours of the United States as an accompanist and as a chamber music pianist, and has given solo recitals and made concerto appearances throughout the Southern States.

But, he says, the “conducting bug bit him” and he decided to forsake the piano for it. He has no regrets and considers himself first and foremost a conductor; but he found the temptation to play “Rhapsody in Blue” for the Christchurch audience “more than he could resist.” He is looking forward to his New Zealand solo debut on Sunday.

“Rhapsody in Blue” will be the major work in the concert, but not the only one by Gershwin; the orchestra will also play the selection from “Porgy and Bess,” last heard from it, under Mr Franks, at the Pan Pacific Arts Festival In 1965. As well, the concert will feature the Fingals Cave Overture by Mendelssohn and the Romeo and Juliet Fantasy by Tschalkovsky.