ORCHESTRA NEEDED

Evening Star, Issue 25113, 1 March 1944, Page 2

ORCHESTRA NEEDED

GHORAL SOCIETY'S AIM YOUNG PLAYERS AVAILABLE The importance of the establishment of an orchestra to be associated with the choir in the society's activities was emphasised at the eighty-first annual meeting of the Dunedin Choral Society last night. In spite of the fact that the society had reoently lost by death its president (Mr Alfred Fels) and by Temoval from Dunedin, its conductor (Mr Alfred "Walmsley), considerable confidence in the future was ex-, pressed. Professor T. D. Adams presided.over ;a small attendance of members. . ■:■ .■.•-?■■ ■■.•'.:':■■■.'".>;' '.'•:' '•■"■ ' The loss which the society had suffered through, the death of. Mr Fels was referred to by the chairman in moving the adoption of the annual report. He said that by his musical knowledge and taste, combined with his business ability and his generosity, Mr Fels had made an invaluable contribution to the life of the society. Since its last annual meeting the society had also lost its conductor, Mr Walmsley, in whose 13 years of conductorship the society had flourished bo notably. Professor Adams said it was essential for the proper development of the society's activities that the new _ conductor also should be fullv equipped orchestrally as well as chorally, for the works that it was the function of the Dunedin Choral Society to (present to the public demanded an orchestra as well as a.choir. Furthermore, the time was ripe for the formation of such an orchestra. ' Secondary schools—the Dunedin Technical College in particular—were producing instrumentalists | by the hundreds, and a considerable, percentage of those young players would be available for such an orchestra as the society proposed to form. A generation ago, when there had been nq sucji . orchestral feeding grounds, jthis city had had three orchestral societies and also small picturehouse orchestras. To-day it. had none. The society had recognised its duty to the community by deciding unanimously at a recent _ largely-attended and enthusiastic special general meeting to call itself the Dunedin Choral and Orchestral Society and to take steps immediately to secure a fullyequipped conductor. The society would then be able to resume every week a choral rehearsal and a separate orchestral rehearsal. The public and the City Council would doubtless recognise the importance of this development and give the society generous support. Mr C. F. Watson expressed the committee's appreciation of the loyal support accorded it by members during a difficult year. The society had been hard hit in the early days of the war, but it had co.me through its difficulties well, and he felt that they were now on the verge of a more interesting period in their history. Mr G. Ross presented the balance sheet, and spoke of the society's gratitude for the continued interest in its activities shown by the Dunedin City Council, which had again made a grant of £25. The society's accumulated fund stood at £349 10s Id, but the most important item in the balance sheet was the liquid assets, which totalled £251. Five years ago the society's liquid assets amounted to £2, thus indicating the progress that had been made by the society during the intervening period. The report and balance sheet were adapted. ELECTION OF OFFICE-BEARERS. The following office-bearers were elected for the ensuing year:—Patron, The Hon. W. Downie Stewart; vicepatron, the Mayor of Dunedin (Mr A. H. Allen) ; deputy conductor, Mr C. F. Watson'; assistant deputy conductor. Mr G. Ross; hon. organist, I)r V. E. Galway; librarian, Mr G. Ferguson; secretary, Mr G. V. Murdoch; hon, solicitor. Mr W. ffl. Brugh; hon. treasurer, Mr G. Ross; hon. auditor. Mr D. Leslie; committee—Mesdames E. M. Stewart. E. Naylor, Miss A. M. Clancy, Messrs C. F. Watson and C. S. Bragg. The question of the. appointment of a president and conductor was left to the committee to make recommendations to a later meeting of the society.

Dr V. E. Galway and Mr Alfred Walmsley were- unanimously elected life members of the society in recognition of their services over a considerable number of years.