U.S. pianist hot about search

Press, 4 March 1978, Page 1

U.S. pianist hot about search

When Earl Wild — conductor, composer and pianist — arrived at Christchurch Airport two days ago for the Arts Festival he “nearly turned round and got the next plane out again.”

“We had such an embarrassing scene at customs, I nearly went back home,” he said yesterday. “They went through absolutely everything — even my cheque book. They must have been looking for drugs, but why they picked on me I don’t know. They were so rude and crude I was furious.” Mr Wild said that he and his travelling companion, who was also his business manager, had come into Christchurch on a flight from Manila, through Australia, and he supposed that was why they got a thorough going over by the Customs men. “But in all the years I have travelled, I have never been treated like

that — not even in Iron Curtain countries,” he said. The Assistant Collector of Customs (Mr A. H. Mills) said that the search to which Mr Wild was subjected was “just a routine search, in the normal course of processing passengers.” “I am more than satisfied that the officer concerned was not rude,” said Mr Mills. He said that Mr Wild had been upset that he, as a musician, was to be searched. The officer had explained that Mr Wild’s occupation or position made no difference to the search. He said that only some passengers were searched. “If we searched them all, they’d be there till midnight.” Two men were arrested at Christchurch Airport the day after the Wild incident. Customs officers found them carrying cannabis leaf.

A police spokesman said that the arrests were a result of a routine search. “These things are not uncommon,” he said. At 62, Mr Wild would probably have visited more countries in his time than most travelling musicians, no matter how famous they might be. Born in Pittsburgh, his career was launched when Toscanini invited him to appear with the N.B.C. Symphony — the first time an American pianist had been given that distinction. Since then, he has been asked several times to give premiers and has played with most of the big orchestras in Europe and America. He also has the honour of being requested to play for six successive Presidents of the United States. Mr Wild has already played in the Town Hail auditorium, and is full of praise for the decor and acoustics. His first concert will be there this evening.