(CONSERVATOIRE OF MUSIC

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 104, 25 January 1908, Page 7

(CONSERVATOIRE OF MUSIC

IS IT pESIRED IN THE DOMINION? Some views of musicians. < The matter of a Conservatoire pf New Zealand was tQijched tipoji by.t-fjp president .of the' Oojifcreiic.o of Musiqjajjs ifi his opening address before members on Wednesday. U is also a subject that has boon <lieoussed by the University Senate, Opinions as to whether such an institution is desirable in the ■Dominion vary as .brief interviews.: which a reprp^oiitatiyc.t||ia paper had-, with leading- frqin the four centres .willrslipw.j'',, The thor Conference of : Musj: .ciaus (llr. Majtglinn Barnctt): said: he considered'the idea of a )» very admirable .one. . Hero, in this country, we lacked .the pleasure of being' in the midst pf lcusie—-we mioses} what was termed a musical , atmosphere; and whilst for niany years to come wc" could - not: expect to lie in the' saipo> position.:ii>. this respect. as the Hqnio countries, it was desirable tjjat some attempt should,-b.e , made tocqme us near-a? possible tij tijp-cpuditioijs jn thq'iirt nentrea. Hp. had already oufjinnd in Ijis P.resjrfeiitm! speech itt the Confbrence flpme:.of tli.q pf having.' a Cqnsqryatqirfl ■ j. : ! Mr. ;J. H. iVay (Napier) said it was nqt to ,t : h§. interest of thq profession .to •have.'a Conservatoire of Music, auci' as hetter teaching would gJj'jjijuiSMl' '-'Ujq'- public likojjriso would uqt-reap a;iy benefitonca had shown ji} Aifel,•})()£. tlijit the jtjonsejjr vajjdiro■thero,was wprkijig opposition •to ,tlie">prpfess)qn' generally.'!' Backed up as the'ihstitution- was, the professional teach-! ers . found ' themselves-'helpless when they camo' into competjtjpii with it. : V They in turn had. retaliate,d by their pupils from the University examinations." 'He telt that, inch' anestamishmentMn New Zealand Vpiild vhave\' the same disastrous„ effect \to the' ; p_rofession. to the'matter of pupils' .examinations; in tjm a the ' newly'-rofmed Society of Musieians jn. New Zealand could' hold--theip own -examinations;' Under the present • systep . thq : instjtytions: at- Home sent.'out;-ono man, expert, perhaps, in one branch Of musical art,";Who'exflthincd jii all subjects-, but here in New Zealand they could appbint :4n different centres examiners v. for yaripiis subjects.'' The results would be far more'satisfactpry. ' :

'The coloiiip's gre .t.nij j-piiiie jet for <v school of said kignor fviuarjsn, President of fchq 1) lined in fcoc:otv of Mnsicinyis. "and they lack'the skjlled-.' teachers.''' Likd Mr. Fray, he said such an institution, would ljo detrimental. to th<>. musical profession, and 'he-''likewise instajiced the case of Adelaide, /with' which lie had becii personally acquainted. : i' 1 ('Hoj^r'HjrsphlHjrg 1 - (President qf tJiflChrisfc-r church Sqcjct.V); -'uoolarpdHjiat- '.thfi 1 tiiiio wjw ripS ripe for the" institution.- : In" CJhristrilujrch t|i9'niusicians were ooposedito the idea, such as'had beeii indiKUfcd bv thy (Jijiversity Seriate. ; Th'o 'population j)f. tjin Dpmim'on was too smti]!. to pijttblo its pperatio|is tft ho conducted suocossful),v. It would not produce an . artistic miisical atmosphere as had. been statetj during -the Conference... H$ thought the whole fatter'should bo loft- to the : musicians,'"'anil nqt, j-ele'gatpd tf) fho. University. 1 .ilr. a well-known cian, '.said,'; briefly, regarding- the matter of examinatjpns, tjiat tl)p Trinity College a|id its had'isiich-'a stimflijijj in the. I)g|iiiniou tlnjt they wpult} never bo removed','-' ' *

Mr.-' \y.: H.' W<t)!}j)e' (axrPv'esjjjant qf. tho. 'AiicUand, Society)' 'ApijWsnd'.MW)'; oians ,were> against this' suggestion. The; time was :not' yet ripp. pud.' th§ population was insuißciejit. -Ho' pointed out 1 that; professional teachers .would feel its''effects. ; Men "would be .brought out from Homo—and, inter alia, he iviiS.opposed altogether to the-importation' q" ■axpprtj niatqrial,.in any'.§pheje;wheu. : they ' .! .qiiajj.y. c'onißoteii4Ploin itfV'i'til 1 Pbirjinion ji.ai}'. come out 'aud'.Kornij »,n.. the,'- brunt; y , '!tKp!"Siim^Ving?H> , Qrl£ in tnusic ■ would find \their livelihood interfered with. Better instruction also would not be .provided.' Jle considered that ;the, linos tho nowly-formod Society proposed'. to work on would provide greater advantages for teachers 'aridvpiiblif.wvc •