Orchestra hopes for grant

Press, 3 April 1980, Page 9

Orchestra hopes for grant

Members of the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra azi waiting to hear whether they will get an $BO,OOO grant from the Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council, ■ The orchestra is also waiting to see if a $lO,OOO grant proposed by the Metropolitan Grants Committee is accepted by local authorities;, i The chairman of the orchestra (Dr D. Shelley) has said that he expected a response to the application from the Arts Council within two weeks. * Dr Shelley said the orchestra needed a grant in proportion to the population of Christchurch and the mujical activity in the city. Auckland received grants totalling several hundred thousand dollars; Wellington got a small grant for its re-

gional orchestra and had the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra to call on; and Dunedin received grants totalling about $50,000, he said. * Christchurch was not getting sufficient funds to support professional activity, while the Canterbury Trust Orchestra had received $140,000 a year in combined grants. “It is a matter of general concern because no other way will there be a healthy music atmosphere in Christchurch,” said Dr Shelley. ' The orchestra was essential to provide a core of teachers for private and institutional teaching. Sufficient money was needed to commit players more firmly to the orchestra by paying them part-time

salaries. Musicians who hadl left Christchurch should also 1 be brought back. “We are just holding on by the skin of our teeth,” said Dr Shelley. The orchestra was not for minority tastes. As well as choral and concert work, the orchestra did extremely popular work, such as “The Nutcracker” with the Southern Ballet Company performed during the Christchurch Arts Festival. However, there would always be a need for subsidies in all areas of the arts.-Dr Shelley said. “The orchestra could only pay its way if we charged $2O a seat and got full

i houses. It is just not possible,” he said. The application to the Arts Council included a proposal that the council pay for administration, a part-time musical director, and for 20 players. It also included supporting a specific number of rehearsals and concerts. In the proposal, the orchestra undertook to work for specific local users free of charge. This meant that the $BO,OOO grant would include indirect support for other groups such as the Southern Ballet. “We are optimistic about the application, and we are prepared to discuss the details of the proposal,” Dr Shelley said.