Arts Festival plans for own orchestra

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33816, 12 April 1975, Page 1

Arts Festival plans for own orchestra

Year-round promotion of musical performances is to be started by the Christchurch Arts Festival Society, and because of the situation regarding the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, the society plans to engage its own soloists and orchestral players.

This was announced yesterday by the chairman of the Christchurch Arts Festival (Mr G. R. Lascelles), who said that the orchestra dispute had caused prolonged controversy and internal dissension, which had been followed by inadequate analysis to find the basic problem.

There had been lack of decision, and an apparently unending series of inconclusive discussions, Mr Lascelles said. These had led to the prejudice of promising musical careers, personal attacks on civic leaders, and a decline in the prestige due to art.

“The Christchurch public deserves die highest standard of musical performances in what are the finest concert facilities in the country, and there is no reason why it should be held to ransom or condemned to mediocrity by a continuing and petty controversy,” he said. When the Christchurch Town Hal) was opened, many had seen it as a visible foundation for the future artistic development of the city. This development had not occurred as expected, as far as music was concerned, largely because of the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra situation, Mr Lascelles said. The Town Hall’s amenities and the expertise of its management, which the festival had enjoyed for the last two years, were not being used, with the result that artistic attractions and the stimulus of great artists were being lost. The Arts Festival organisation was hindered in the engagement of some of the world’s finest performers, whose services needed an orchestra. This situation had 'become intolerable.

i “That being so, we feel we are now, very reluctantly, forced to move independently in discharge of our functions,” Mr Lascelles said. The Arts Festival organisation could promote engagements by the world’s best concert artists, some of whom were now awaiting answers. For this reason, the organisation intended to engage soloists and players from Christchurch or elsewhere for a series of engagements next year, and in succeeding years. “Waiting no longer” Next year’s programme would be merely the first stage in a series of projected promotions, he said. “Christchurch has been on the brink of great artistic development for the last five years. For ourselves, we are waiting no longer.” r The city had lost the services of too many talented people already, Mr Lascelles said. If the festival organisation’s plans needed public support, it would be sought, as would arts council support and the support of local bodies.

The help of those who wished to support the Arts Festival organisation would be welcomed, and they were invited to leave their names with the festival director (Mrs Helen Holmes), Mr Lascelles said.