Alfred Hill's Suggestions For New Zealand Music

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 159, 31 March 1939, Page 16

Alfred Hill's Suggestions For New Zealand Music

THE suggestion that music clubs should be started in suburbs, as itad been done in Sydney to stimulate an interest in music, was made at the annual meeting of the Auckland Entertainers’ Association by Mr. Alfred Hill, the composer. Mr. Hill also outlined the history of the conservatorium of music at Sydney. At the time of its formation it was a piece of good fortune for music in Australia. lie said, that the Premier of New South Wales, Mr. Joseph Holman, was that rara avis, a politician who was a keen musical enthusiast. Often Mr. Holman would quietly steal away from the House to listen to an orchestral rehearsal at the conservatorium. The necessity of building up a professional symphony orchestra in New Zealand was stressed by the speaker, who said that the orchestra in Sydneyhad started witli -15 players, and had now built up its strength to 100. There were more Ilian 2000 subscribers to the concerts, and for that satisfactory state of affairs they had Io thank, to a largo degree. I hose women of Sydney who had helped Io enrol the large majority. In soliciting subscriptions it was not so much a question of “Are you fond of music?" but “Are you a good citizen?” Mr. Hill said.