MUSIC EXAMINATIONS

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 October 1939, Page 4

MUSIC EXAMINATIONS

TO CONTINUE AS USUAL. v AUCKLAND, October 20. 3 Music examinations will not be interrupted by the war, and while the 11 Royal Academy of Music and Royal a School of Music continue with their 8 terms in London examiners will again d visit Australia and New Zealand. This assurance was given by Dr. H. C. Colles, a member of the Associated Board , of the Royal Schools of Music and a lmusical critic of “The Times,” who will tour New Zealand during the next two months to conduct examinations in the interests of the board. e “The board is doing what it can to L ” develop local musical life throughout e the Empire,” Dr. Colles said. “Members do not merely come her to ext amine, but to provide scholarships to ° train young New Zealand musicians of promise at . Royal schools. In every case the board is not anxious that such students should stay in Eng- ' land, which is over-populated musicalt ly as well as in other ways, but that r they should return to their own countries and establish themselves as i musicians.” Dr. Colles said that the Royal >. schools trained some hundreds of i young musicians every year. Some a could be, and were, absorbed in England, but the Dominions could, if they ’ would, absorb very many more. They 1 would' be on the up grade if they j employed musicians who would be of great benefit to their own countries. "It is no use people thinking when they raise money to send a clever, boy j or girl to England to study, that that j student will become an international r star,” Dr. Colles said. “Nine-tenths ’ of them won’t and can’t become stars, f and it is much better that they should not. Far more important than international stars are musicians who live . in a city and do all within their pow- . er to make music indigenous in their midst. This work is as valuable as any that can be done. ’ “If there are to be well-trained ' niusciians in any couflTly work . must be provided for them. That is where State-aided orchestra and broadcasting can assist. There is no doubt that in countries like New Zealand, which may be called young musically, the future .of their music will come through their broadcastingagency. It is an entirely new element that has come into music in the last generation, and it is a most powerful stimulus to musical interests among amateurs; “The new mechanics of music are not only of education, but recreational interest to people who are not technically musicians ’at all.” said Dr. Colles. “However, tile listener must have intelligence within himself to get anywhere with the music' radio provides for him. I He iniist have sufficient. judgment to pick'out the right thing and listep, the same as he would watch something" of .interest. instead of .hearing instinctively music which | provides only a background to other activities.”