Evening Post. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1908. A CONSERVATORIUM OF MUSIC.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 36, 12 February 1908, Page 6

Evening Post. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1908. A CONSERVATORIUM OF MUSIC.

la reference to the "University Senate's request for funds to establish a Conservatorium of Music, readers have had tho advantage of considering the opinions expressed in our correspondence columns by Sir Robert Stoul, Mr. Robert Parker, and Mr. Louis Cohen. Two of these gentlemen favour the idea : the third, Mr. Parker, while not opposed to it, believes that its present application is premature. His reasons are that the Government's money would be spent more wisely in either of two suggested ways : in paying teachers of singing for school children, or in 'paying an orchestra to perform standard musical works throughout New Zealand. Mr. Cohen doubts the comparative value of both alternatives, lie believes that children at schools cannot collectively be taught to sing properly, and that apart from aural training in tune and timo, the attempt is likely to do young -voices more harm than good. 'ihe peripatetic orchestra, Mr. Cohen thinks, would degenerate into dilettantism ; and, if it did not cater for the popular taste, he asks pertinently what reason there is for supposing that its performances would be more efficient for public instruction than the performances of excellent visiting musicians whose art apparently has not found general favour in New Zealand. The conflict of opinion is edifying; but it seems to us, reasonably clear that, of the three suggested ways in whien musical art may be assisted, a Coiißervatorium gives the best hope of permanent fruit. With Mr. Cohen, w?, distrust the expectation of profit from the extension of singing in primary ooiioolo. The ordiaatv scholar gifty mgje useluUy

and more profitably devote time to other subjects in a full syllabus ; and the extraordinary scholar, with special aptitude, will rocorve more benefit from spcoial training. Tho expense of any comprehensive and effective tuition — which mear/S a teacher employed in every township,., and several teachers- in every city — cai/liot be measured, because obviously it has no limits; and a partial scheme, would bo unfair to those who did not (share its benefit, would fail to profit the \infit, and might endanger the voices of the fit — because singing should be learned individually before it is practised collectively. The idea of an educational orchestra would, it seems to us, be developed better by municipal aid in every town. The subsidy which Wellington gives to a public organist is a precedent for tho subsidies which may elsewhere ba given to a public orchestra. Except as they are considered to provide prerfwable fields for the expenditure of public funds, school singing and a travelling orchestra do not conflict with, the Conservatorium proposal. If all three plans of improving musical art were acceptable, all three might operate side by side. But the present utility of a Conservatorium is not a matter of opinion. That utility is proven by the pvidonco that two British musical corporations are now paid by New Zealand, on a conservative estimate, £2500 in yearly fees for conducting musical examinations which it would be one of the functions of a New Zealand Conservaiorium lo hold. Mr. Parker— rather onriously, as it seems to us— sees in this fact a reason for perpetuation of this fact, and a rea"s6n for postponement of the establishment of a local authority. Surely the opposito inference is correct. If New Zealand employed the examiners now employed by the British musical corporations, would it not be better for us that the fees which make the examiners' visits profitable should be spent m assisting music here, rather than in assisting music in Britain? But Mr Parker prophesies that New Zealand teachers would not accept examination by a local authority. Why not? — if an equal or superior examination made the IN ew Zealand certificate equal or superior to the London degree. We demur to these despondent asseverations of l*al inferiority. In music, as m other fields, we have to learn to hoe our own 'row; and the sooner we begin, the better. The Eoyal College and Trinity College have no monopoly of musical talent : there is in taeir examinations no supernatural virtue. The examiners that they h'"re wo can hire : the fees they pocket ' we can pocket. Mr. Parker would terrify us with a precedent of Australian failure. When we l«arn the causes of that failure we may once more make it a stepping-stona to New Zealand's success.