MUSICAL TYROS

Evening Star, Issue 20194, 6 June 1929, Page 7

MUSICAL TYROS

GEORGE STREET SCHOOL BAND VALUE OF THE MOUTH ORGAN That “ music hath charms ” seems to be more vividly realised as the years roll by. Even such an apparently insignificant instrument as the mouth organ can be operated to such a degree that the car finds in it a peculiar fascination. Being one of the simplest musical contrivances to manipulate, it terms a most appropriate instrument for the teaching of music to school children. The possibilities of reaching any great heights in the musical world with such an unpretentious musical instrument must be passed undisputed in view of the more important issue of giving the child a foundation in music. To this latter end Mr W. J. Mowatt, a regular competitor with the mouth organ at the Dunedin Competitions Society’s annual festival, has formed a band consisting of botli girls and boys at the George Street School. Ho is very optimistic with regard to the band's future success—and rightly so, too. A visit to the practice of the band yesterday afternoon was sufficiently appealing to urge one to assist in the progress and welfare of such a splendid organisation. At present the band claims a membership of forty after a month’s existence, and the progress made in such a short time is surprising. Many of the scholars are particularly enthusiastic, but again there is a largo percentage which finds greater enjoyment in football practice. One cannot altogether despise their devotion to sport, but it seems a great pity that their leisure hours cannot be divided to include both these elements of life. At present two practices a week are held after school, and Mr Mowatt expects to have his band playing sufficiently well to play over the wireloss at the children’s session in about a month’s time. He also hopes to see some of the scholars competing at the next Competitions Society’s festival. .- Several of the teachers at the school' are interested in the hand, and even join at practice time. Double and single reeded month organs are the ones selected by Mr Mowatt for his tyros. These instruments can boast of both volume and tone, and are most suitable for band work. So far the only other town in New Zealand where mouth organ bauds have been formed is Wanganui. In this town Captain George Buckley, conductor of the Wanganui Queen Alexandra’s Own Band, has been successful in forming several school mouth organ bands. All of these are reported to be faring very successfully. Some of the country schools in Otago have also begun this form of musical organisation.

Mr J. Dixon (conductor of the St. Kilda Band) informed a ‘Star’ representative this morning that he had lately spent a great deal of time in studying this type of music. Ho has now gathered a very extensive stock of information with regard to the subject, and will bo pleased to assist anyone who is prepared to enter into the work of forming such bands in the schools. It is a well-known fact that in Ameri: >, some really very fine mouth organ bands are in existence.