MUSIC IN DOMINION

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 305, 21 September 1936, Page 8

MUSIC IN DOMINION

“Conservatorium Needed” ' “My great hope Is to see a New Zealand conservatorium,” said Mr. Paul Vinogradoff, the Russian pianist, who has lived for the last four years in the Dominion, in an interview before leaving by the Awatea for Australia, where he intends to do some broadcasting work before leaving for England. “New Zealand is the right country to have a conservatorium,” continued Mr. Vinogradoff. “It could be either a Government or a university institution, but it is necessary for the music of this country that you should have one. At present your best musicians cannot ■reach concert standard by themselves. They have to go to America, England and the Continent.” Mr. Vinogradoff said he was satisfied that New Zealand had the musical talent to justify a conservatorium. The only trouble was that the musicians could not complete their training in the country. Actually the standard of performance here was very good, although, of course, not as high as it was in America and on the Continent. But with a conservatorium it could soon reach overseas standards. It had been argued, said Mr. Vinogradoff, that a conservatorium would seriously affect the practices of music teachers. But he could not agree with this. All the persons who wanted to learn music could .not go to the conservatorium, and the experience of other countries, even so near as Australia, bad shown that the private teachers would not be affected. Speaking of the New Zealander’s musical appreciation, Mr. Vinogradoff said that everywhere he bad found audiences to be very enthusiastic and sympathetic. It seemed as if the New Zealander was always anxious to learn to understand something he did not understand. Although he had found that many people did not like classical music, there was a small percentage who liked it very milch, and who showed excellent appreciation of it.