HARD TIMES

Grey River Argus, 20 August 1940, Page 10

HARD TIMES

MUSICIANS IN LONDON. AUCKLAND, August 17. “The war has been absolutely catastrophic as far as music in London Is concerned,” sajd Proflessor Max Pirani, professor of pianoforte at the Royal Academy of Music, London. He arrived by the “Mariposa” to conduct examinations for the Royal Schools of Music. The musical world had been turned upside down, he said. Both academic and concert sides had suffered. The Royal Academy and the Royal College had been carrying on as normally as possible, and the numbers of students had held up fairly well, but private teachers had lost many pupils. Many concerts had been cancelled. There had been a certain amount of activity in giving concerts for troops and in aid of destitute musicians, whose numbers had increased greatly since the war started. The war had so far produced no new developments in music. Professor Pirani expects to begin examinations in Wellington on Friday, and will be conducting tests in various centres of the Dominion. He is accompanied by his wife and children. Another examiner for the Royal Schools of Music, Dr. J. F. Staton, who has previously visited the Dominion, also arrived by the “Mariposa”. He had planned to go to Ceylon to conduct examinations immedi- ■ ately after acting as judge at the Wellington Competitions at the end of the week, but received cabled instructions to assist in the New Zealand examinations. Consequently, he expects to remain in the Dominion till about the end of September.