NATIONAL ORCHESTRA’S SOUTH ISLAND TOUR

Grey River Argus, 27 September 1949, Page 2

NATIONAL ORCHESTRA’S SOUTH ISLAND TOUR

Visit to Greymouth

The present tour of the National Orchestra is the most comprehensive yet to be carried out in the South Island. By the time they return to Wellington, members of the Orchestra will have travelled 1200 miles, by steamer, rail and bus. The Orchestra will be playing in Greymouth on 10th October. Getting the Orchestra away for a major tour, and moving it on smoothly from concert to concert, calls for a good deal of work—and very varied wor k—that an audience never sees. After deciding on the towns to be visited, concert organisers in the Broadcasting Service rough out a route of travel and draft a first itinerary. This represents as it were the musical ideal —the tour that will be least wearing on players and will give the best possible performances for audiences.

Then begins the task of checking available facilities against this ideal itinerary. Suitable theatres must be found, and they must be available on the dates required. Usually they are theatres which were built many years ago, and were not intended for the type of presentation given by a symphony orchestra. Special staging, for giving the orchestra progressive elevation from the Strings back to the Brass and Tympani sections, is carried on the tour. This equipment consists largely of platforms which can. be bolted to adjustable and collapsible frames—frames specially made for the orchestra’s performances by one of its members.

At some smaller theatres special staging has to be erected to accomodate the orchestra. Whilst this is regrettable, inasmuch as some seats have to be removed, it is essential if the orchestra is to give a performance.

Transport is the next problem. Can you get there when you want to? Is it possible to arrive in time for the first concert, and to get away con-< veniently in time for the next town? Often special road transport is necessary. The equipment also must have consideration: for instance, the handling and transport of six tons of properties and instruments divers in shape and size. A whole Z wagon is necessary on the railways; or, if road transport is used, then the very largest type of truck. The instruments and equipment, totalling.many thousands of pounds in value, are insured, it is true, but replacement is as big a problem in many cases as the cost. On this South Island tour 16 public concerts will be given, and 16 concerts for schools. No charge is made for schools concerts. The audiences are organised by the Education Department. It is estimated that approximately 15,000 children will be present at the South Island schools concerts, which include an illustrative talk on the composition of a Symphony Orchestra. Free programmes are provided by the Broadcasting Service, and these are available in advance for discussion at the schools. To ensure that the conductor's voice is heard in the illustrative talk, a public address system is installed; and this equipment, with a sound technician, accompaniesi the orchestra. A feature of the schools concerts at Christchurch and Dunedin will be the playing.of concerto works by young students of the piano: Miss Gwyneth Dunne in Dunedin on September 16 and Miss Judith Hollander in Christchurch on Octobei’ 5. To ensure that adequate lighting is always available, special type Benjamin reflectors are included in the equipment. The librarian, who is also a member of the orchestra, will have approximately 8000 copies of music with him comprising all required for programmes to be presented on the tour, as well as other music for rehealrsal for future prgrammes. The playing strength of the orchestra at present is 70, but even this number is small compared with most overseas Symphonic groups. The Sydney Symphony Orchestra for instance, has a playing strength of 82, whilst the 8.8. C. Symphony Orchestra comprises 120 players. The co-operation of Musical Societies and the like in each of the centres the Orchestra has so far visited has been greatly appreciated by the Broadcasting Service.