MUSIC SCHOOL FOR WHANGAREI THIS YEAR

Northern Advocate, 10 March 1948, Page 2

MUSIC SCHOOL FOR WHANGAREI THIS YEAR

IN August a music school 1; held by the Community Arts Se This was decided at a meet)

Miss C. H. Stratford, in advocating that the school should he held, said Ihat it would cater for those who were not far advanced in musical studies. It would not be conducted on academic lines, but would aim at giving the students a greater appreciation of music and enable them to listen with greater pleasure.

asting four or five days is to be twice, Whangarei. ng last night.'

Students would come from the entire northern district, and tutors would be brought from Auckland. The school would also give students an opportunity to learn instruments other than the piano. ATTRACTIVE PROGRAMME A programme which contains some excellent artists, was accepted for the vear.

Early comers will be Gerhard and Dora Willner, both of whom became well known to New Zealand troops in Egypt through the 400 concerts they gave in Cairo. The Goodwin Marionette Theatre will give a puppet version of “Alice in Wonderland” later in the season. Pick of the year’s programme, however, undoubtedly will be the Queensland State String Quartet, which is now touring New Zealand. This quartet, which is considered by many to be the finest musical combination in Australia, will make a special trip to Whangarei to give their concert.

Later in the year the service hopes to present an exhibition of New Zealand paintings, a drama company and a Mozart opera. OPENING CONCERT

First on the season’s programme, however, is a concert designed to be the culminating point of the service's “Publicity Week.” Included in the artists at this concert will be the American, George Hopkins, leading clarionet player, his wife, Mrs Helen Hopkins, formerly Miss Helen Gray, the Auckland violinist. and Mr Owen Jensen, the wellknown New Zealand pianist and accompanist. One of the principal attractions, however, will be the Whangarei Choral Society, which will provide the backbone to the programme.

Applications from the Whangarei Film Society and the Whangarei Turntable Club for affiliation to the service were accepted. It was further decided to support financially the formation of a repertory theatre in Whangarei. Twenty organisations arc now affiliated with the service.

Social evenings will be held towards the end of the year, at which members will be able to present their own paintings and musical, dramatic and literary compositions.