A CONSERVATORIUM OF MUSIC

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 94, 15 January 1936, Page 10

A CONSERVATORIUM OF MUSIC

Sydney Musician’s Plan

PROPOSAL PLACED BEFORE

PRIME MINISTER

The desirability of establishing a New Zealand conservatorium of music on similar lines to the institutions in Melbourne and Sydney was placed before Hie Prime .Minister (the Hon. M. J. Savage)* by Mr. Roland Foster, the wellknown Sydney musician, who is giving a series of talks from broadcasting stations in this country, in an interview yesterday. "The Dominion” published au interview with Mr. Foster last week, when the benefits to be obtained from such a conservatorium were advanced. “Yesterday,” said Mr. Foster in a further interview, “Mr. Savage expressed himself as being very sympathetically disposed toward tlie idea.” Mr. Foster found the Prime Minister fully conversant with the advantages to be derived from providing a thorough and comprehensive training necessary to develop the musical talent of this country to its fullest extent.

In Melbourne there were two couservatoriums —the Albert Street Conservatorium and the University Couservatorium. The former was endowed by Dame Nellie Melba and the latter was maintained by the university, assisted by private persons, in Sydney the conservatorium was maintained by tlie State, and it was the only State-owned institution of its type in the world. The great British schools of music were maintained by endowment funds subscribed by wealthy patrons. In the United States of America there were many large schools of music oiganised by private enterprise and run on a commercial basis, and at the same time providing every necessary artistic advantage.