HAWERA AS A MUSICAL CENTRE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 9 May 1921, Page 4

HAWERA AS A MUSICAL CENTRE.

We are much interested in the prospects of Hawera becoming a centre for music, and, realising the value of music, not only as- a source of pleasure and entertainment, but as a very real education, we are keen that the art should flourish in this district. The power of music is often not understood, but we believe that there is no power that can sway people more and that can exercise such an influence over the mind of an individual. Music is able to arouse in one's mind thoughts and ' desires that cannot be adequately expressed in words, and . the whole nervous system can be influenced by it. We probably fiave the best evidence of that in the beneficial results derived at times from good music rendered within the hearing of people who are sick. Such a force is worth using, and the HaweraMMalt, Choire t ,Choir by instituting competitions for school children is laying a foundation that in rears to come may be looked upon as .'cry important. The direction of the ?hild mind into the right channels is i task on which too much time and rouble can never he spent, and if the ompetitions bring forward only one or

two promising singers the effort will be worth while. But the competitions will do more than that. There will be sown in the children's minds the tiny germ of musical appreciation; they will learn ho,w music calls for discipline and order and careful human effort; they will find that those black notes and peculiar signs represent the universal language by which all that is best in human nature can be expressed and interpreted with pleasure and appreciation in- all lands. These are some of the reasons why the competitions should be. encouraged. The institution of the Male Choir states that the Choir exists for ithe progress and development of music in the dis-1 trict, and it is satisfactory to find that J the Choir is using every opportunity of bringing before the public the best artists available from time to time. The decision to engage the services of Miss Rosa Alba, who has made such a favourable impression in Australia I i and in the concerts she has sung at in New Zealand, is to be commended | and indicates that the Choir realises its duty .to fulfil the terms of its constitution. We have no doubt that the Choir will receive generous support for its undertaking, and we hope that its' activities will lead to Hawefa becoming' in time a musical centre. The interest of the people of the district in music is higher than in themaiprity of towns, and probably that fact has more than i a little to do with the contented and ! happier life noticeable here as compared ' with some other t>arts of the Dominion.