SCHOOL MUSIC

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 9, 5 October 1927, Page 11

SCHOOL MUSIC

SUPERVISOR’S REPORT FAULTS OBSERVED The first report of tho Supervisor of Musical Education (Mr. E. D. Taylor) to the Director of Education mentions that in Wellington and Dunedin the present arrangements at the Training Colleges aro capable of improvement, and when practicable these institutions should bo given the same facilities as now possessed by Auckland and Christchurch. A comprehensive tour had taken place, and everywhere great enthusiasm had been met with and the keenest desire to improve the standard of school music. The latter, however, showed lack of organisation and guidance,, the 'chief weaknesses being neglect of instruction in sight singing, lack of connected instruction throughout tho standards, faulty methods of voice training, poor choice of music without definite aims, insufficient time devoted to music, a narrow outlook upon school music, and general unawaereness of its possibilities, inability of teachers to play tho piano, and scarcity of instruments. The Supervisor states that in order to meet the needs of teachers he had written a special comprehensive handbook of instruction. It was hoped that this would be printed and circulated to the schools about the end of 1927. As a result of the investigation of the system of examination in music for teachers’ certificates, a change in the scope of the examination had been suggested to make it of greater use. It was most desirable that opportunity should be given for specialisation in music, particularly as regarded infant work, in the training colleges, and that it should be provided for.in tho musical examination. Negotiations were commenced to supply standards V and VI with a free song book., which was now in course of publication. The report concludes as follows:— “There is no lack of musical gifts in the children, although it has been difficult in most cases to create an effective musical environment for them. Tn many schools fine work is being done bv individual enthusiasts, and wise use of tho gramophone will greatly increase tho possibilities of cultivating taste and appreciation of fine music finely performed. It is essential to cultivate the child’s powers of musical invention, and already, as the result of help and example given to teachers a number of simple melodies of a most promising character have been composed by children in different schools. This is’ a most valuable means of stimulating interest and promoting understanding of tlie real significance of music, besides being the natural reason for the study of theory—namely, that one may record permanently the music composed , and reproduce it again from the written symbol.”