MR. COLIN MUSTON

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 65, 9 December 1938, Page 13

MR. COLIN MUSTON

; Conductor Of Long Experience ! TWENTY-FIRST “MESSIAH” I Wl.eii Mr. Cutin Mii-ren, the Auckland i-omlm-ior. lays down bis baton after fomorrow's performance of Handel's "Messiah" in tlie Wellington Town I lull, he will, as far as that work is eoncerneil. have come of age. tor it will be the I wenty-li rsi lime lie lias conducted the work. Mr. Muston said lie was very pleased to come to Welliiiglon lo be ;isso,-mied with I lie Royal Wellington Choral Society on this occasion. It was .-in old dosin' fulfilled. There had been lulls' of such a reciprocal iiiteri-haiige for nearly twenty years past, and no one was keener about it limn tlie late Mr. Henry Brett, who was so deeply interested in music, and did so much to help right up to tlie time of his deal'll. It was lie who had made it: possible for the Auckland < trehesi ra I Society to send its orchestra to Cliristchureli us far back as 11)115. After being talked of for so many years, it had at. last been brought about, thanks mostly re tlie enterprise and energy of the secretary of tlie Wellington Choral Union. Mr. W. E. Caldow. and tomorrow morning between 140 ami 150 of the choir ot. the Auckland Choral Society would arrive in Wellington to do honour to Handel at this Christmas!ide. Ills choirsters had been all very keen on the visit, to Wellington, and some of them had become so determined that they would not miss it. that they had begun to save tip their shillings in order to pay their expenses, which fortunately, because of tlie good arrangements made, were not heavy .

"Personally, I hope that, the visit to Auckland last year of your society, and our visit; to you will be tlie beginning of many such gatherings said Mr. Muston. "It was always good to get; out; of Ihe groove now and again, and to appear before different: groups of the public, and so 1 am hoping that perhaps there may be arranged :t great festival here in Wellington, when we might eiitne down, and Christchurch and perhaps Dunedin come up to Wellington to help in what miglit. lie a really great musical occasion in honour of (he Centennial of New Zealand.”

Mr. Muston belongs to Leicester, England, where lie gained his musical knowledge from his father, and became one of Hie leading violinists there. When ho left: Leicester lie was presented by the citizens, through the mayor, with a handsome illuminated address and a purse of £l5O. He was appointed conductor of the Auckland Choral Society in 1917. on Hie resignation of the late Mr. J. Maughan Barnett, and has retained that position ever since. He lias been ennduetor of the Auckland Amateur Operatic society for file past, fourteen years, during which time it. has given several, delightful performances. Hie hist, an excellent, present a I ion of “The Vagabond King," which was successful artistically and financially. Mr. Muston is also conductor of St. Michael's Church choir. Ronnior.-i. For twenty-two years Mr. Muston conducted the old Bohemian Orchestra, from 191-1 til] 1936. He all ributes the fact that that orchestra went out. of existence to the imposition of the itmiisemeiil. tax. He contends Hint there should be no tux on such a thing tis music, as il. cripples all effort, yet every society in the country unless its performs fop charity is subjected to this fax. Mr. Savage in Ids latest speech said I lint Now Zealand deserved the best in music as well as other things, but the lax on musical events by amateur bodies should surely not lie a Mowed to continue indefinitely.

Chicago, afrer 30 years of indecision, lias decided tn build a tube railwav at a cost of £8.090.00(1.