Symphony Orchestra.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10723, 22 October 1928, Page 7

Symphony Orchestra.

AMBITIOUS SCHEME IN WELLINGTON.

BETTER CONCERTS AIMED AT.

(Special To The Times)

WELLINGTON. Oct

What he hopes will ultimately develop into a National Symphony Orchestra, subsidised by the wealthy members of the community, has been formed by Mr. Leon de Mauny, an English tea-cher, orchestra leader and pupil of tho famous Albert Sammons.

Struck by the lack of orchestras in N.Z., Mr. de Mauny has embarked upon the unprecedented course of choosing 50 players from the best available in Wellington and paying them highly to rehearse for a series of concerts. He has obtained hir men from the professional ranks and after patient investigation of all the available resources. The 'new orchestra will make its debut in Wellington at the end of the month. It has long been recognised bv musicians that concert effort in N.Z. is handicapped by the fact that, so many of the best players are attracted away to orchestras in picture theatres and are thus rarelv available for symphonic work. Mr. do Mauny appears to have solved the" problem by ottering these musicians even better terms. He hopes that other cities will follow the same course of action and that with a number of good orchestras spread over the Dominion the way will be cleared for better orchestral concerts.