CONSERVATORIUM OF MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 138, 5 March 1908, Page 5

CONSERVATORIUM OF MUSIC.

PROPOSAL ADVERSELY CRITICISED. (BY TELEOKAriI— SrEPIAL CORRESPONDENT,) Christcliurcli, March 4. The President of the Canterbury. Society of Professional' Musicians (Herr Max Hirschburg), at the annual meeting of the Society dealt at' length with the proposed- establishment of a conservatorium of music , in the Dominion; After stating that none of the profession would say ■ a conservatorium did not carry with it any benefit, lie declared that opinions among. European' authorities wore very divided regarding the benefits and drawbacks of such an institution. He expressed tlio opinion that the present conditions of this country , were not suclv; as to i warrant the establishment of a conservatorium, tho' population',being' neither largo enough nor sufficiently- educated musically. To achievo both these'conditions would" take generations. The great masses of thepopulac'e could acquire the taste and love for tho bettor class of music only through tho medium of first-class orchestral, musical, choral,- and operatic performances, 1 but not by establishing a conservatorium, which, at bkt, could bonefit a small minority only. In regard to "musical atmosphere," Herr Hirschburg asserted that a conservatorium was the outcome' of such an atmosphcro, and not the originator of it. By 'rights, only those who intonded to take- up music as a profession could bo expected to attend iho' conservatorium, and. ofthose few who did talco un 'music' seriously l - evorvono wouldy to go to Europe for a few years. A'cry few had availeil-tlmniseives of the conservatoriuins of - Melbourne and Adelaide, both comparatively: near New Zealand, The musically gifted student intending to talco up music as a profession must, after a certain stage, bo sent to Europe in; order to complete his studies under' conditions not obtainable . elsewhere. Theory,: piano,; violin, 'cello, organ, singing, l etc., could, now bo learnt here just-as well as in Europe, and to establish-a conservatorium for that purN poso would be unnecessary and extravagant. A conservatorium. established by a richlyondowed 'university, subsidised by the Government, would bo-'a competitor of such gigantic proportions that .it could not help interfering vastly with privato music teachers. In regard to the £2500 sent out of tho -Dominion" in examination fees yearly; and which' it was argued the conservatorium .would obtain, the. speaker said that this sum represented a great number of candidates, and to obtain.these'the Senate would have to rely on the support of private teachers, and ho asked if the Senate supposed that a private teacher; whose income had been reduced by the establishment of a conservatorium, would prepare any of : his or her pupils for tho conservatorium examinations?