TEACHING OF MUSIC

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 July 1930, Page 11

TEACHING OF MUSIC

SOVIET RUSSIA’S SYSTEM.

Russia’s system of teaching music is the best in the .world, according to Edwin A. Fleisher, giving an address before the Young Men’s and Young Women’s Hebrew Associations in Philadelphia (says “Top Notes”). Mr. Fleisher. who is founder of the Symphony Club, recently returned from a visit to Russia, bringing back rare and unpublished musical works. . “It may bo surprising to learn,” he said, “that in a nation of 160,000,000, there are only two large conservatories, one in Leningrad and the other in Moscow. However, they are conservatories in a different sense than we understand them here.

“In Moscow, for example, there are 100 elementary -music schools in which children take their preliminary study in a two-year course. At the end of that time, examinations are given and those who pass are permitted to enter the secondary schools for an additional three-year course.

“After this come the examinations at which the best qualify and are permitted to enter the conservatory. It, is understood, of course, that the Government pays for the entire musical education of tho pupils ami keeps them at the conservatory as long as necessary.” Mr. Fleisher had heard of a youth who was being acclaimed as the greatest pianist to be developed in Russia. This young man still had another year at tho conservatory and would not be permitted to play outside the country before that, time.

“It is different here,” Mr. Fleisher added, “where anyone can bring out a musician at any time, even though he may not have completed all the necessary study.”