Orchestra Trust

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34085, 24 February 1976, Page 14

Orchestra Trust

Sir, —lf two members of the Canterbury Orchestra Trust would exercise now the objectivity they have shown in the past the city’s orchestra would be at an lend very quickly. Dr Penfold (left the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra board in July to join the trust because, in his words, he “had realised the fighting had to stop somewhere.” If he were to resign from the trust as a gesture of the reconciliation for which he pleads he would be taking a big step towards achieving that situation. Likewise our senior citizen, Mr Hay. He has changed his ground twice to my knowledge about the [control of the orchestra, and lit is surely within the bounds of possibility that he will do so again, thus displaying the qualities of statesmanship that could end this lamentable arugment, which is slowly but surely bringing more and more of the city’s musical organisations into conflict. — Yours, etc.,

F. STUART-JONES. February 23, 1976.

Sir, — Is the listening public to lose its orchestra just because a few disgruntled members of the socalled Christchurch Symphony Orchestra are unable or unwilling to work within the framework of the trust? Do we require a musical elite to run the orchestra when a musical director will do this more efficiently? ;Are we going to tolerate s e 1 f-confessed saboteurs? Can we who want an orchestra afford to despise money because it comes from the public purse? night was a I stacked meeting. Let us be sure that the general meeting is stacked with people who are not prepared to lose their orchestra and do not intend to dissolve anything. If the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra dissidents can attend and propose a motion to dissolve the Trust then we can attend in greater numbers and vote against the motion. —

Yours, etc., PETER WILLIAMS. February 23, 1976.