ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8556, 2 May 1891, Page 1 (Supplement)

RO YAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC.

THE LATE SCHOLARSHIP COMPETI-

TION. • This excellent institution, whijbh has latterly awakened so much interest among many of our readers, is gradually extending its influence and reputation. Though barely eight years old, it has already attained acknowledged pre-eminence among kindred institutions, its rapid distinction having all but totally eclipsed the once familiar title of its natural bub defunct predecessor* the National Training School for Music. Thanks to the exceptional ability and . energy, even more than to royal patronage and munificence, with which the affairs of the " university" have beeu managed from the first, every department comprised within ib seems to ®have steadily grown year by year. The commodious building in which its operations are carried on, situated near the Albert Memorial Hall, South Kensington, London, has long been much too small, as is also the splendid Alexandra House adjoining, wherein most of the female students are boarded and lodged. Besides its governing body, consisting of the Prince of Wales as president and upwards of twenty worthy vicepresidents, and a council constituted of a still larger number of gentlemen distinguished in Church and State, ib has a staff of professors and teachers numbering some sixty musicians of creator or less renown. The pupils on the books when the last annual report was published in April, 1890, counted 276. A noble and more capacious structure, intended to supplement the present premises, is in course of erection hard by, at a cost of £45,000, plus a large additional sum for decorations, the whole amount having been generously given for the purpose by Mr. Samson Fox, of Leeds. Students of both sexes who have passed through the curriculum of the college have easily obtained lucrative and responsible positions in the higher musical circles, while others are bringing themselves into note as composers, singers, or instrumen- j talists. Probably the numerous scholarships with which the conservatoire is enriched have contributed as much as anything to its repute and attractiveness. These are of two kinds, the close and open. Close or local scholarships are those which are closed against all bub natives or long-time residents of certain localities, such as particular cities, counties, and colonies, to some of whose wealthy corporations or patriotic citizens a portion of the valuable endowments are due. Open scholarships are such as are open to all subjects of the British Empire, male and female, under 23 years of age ; but they are obviously more difficult' to win, because of the much wider area from which the most able competitors can be picked. Eleven of this class were recently offered for competition, namely, two for singing, two for the piano, four for the violin, one for wind instruments, one for the organ, and one for composition. The candidates who presented themselves are said to have surpassed in quality as much as in quantity those of any former year. "Indeed," one of tho professors stated, " we have never had anything like such an ordeal before." The modus operandi began with a sifting process, ,by which, for example, the 132 violin competitors in the metropolis were reduced to 43; then in a second examination to 13; by another to six, from whom the four happy victors were finally chosen. This contest, as no doubt each of the others, was, it appears, very severe. Two " prodigies" who had been assured of success, and one of whom Herr Joachim himself had pronounced "very goot," failed. So did another youth whose native town thought him so wonderful that it paid his college fees up to the time of the competitition, fully convinced that after that his talent would be self-supporting. Equally disappointed was a fair competitor, who, as persevering as promising, had contended for the same prize four times previously, and bravely went in again, making sure the fifth time must succeed. With her condoled from a fellow-feeling another young lady, the daughter of Austrian but naturalised parents, who had been in the Royal College three years, and was reasonably sanguine in her expectations from having gained an exhibition of £20 for proficiency or progress a few months be- r fore. More fortunate was a proud maiden' of Italian extraction, Italy for once, at least, beating Austria in music. Yet sympathetic Germany, represented by one of the tutors, was not piqued, bub graciously presented one of the two other successful female competitors with a fine new violin in token of approval and reward. This was his pupil, Miss Ottie Chew, the young Auckland violinist, whoso success has truly delighted all the good people of our city, and who, we are confident, will not by any means be the last New Zealander to practically answer the question among Old World sceptics, " Can any good thing come out of Maoriland Further details are furnished in the appended extract from the London Daily News of March 31, 1891 :—

The annual final examination for eleven open free scholarships in the Royal College of Music took place on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday last. The method adopted was the same as that pursued on previous occasions, namely, to communicate with the municipal authorities throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland, and appoint local examiners to deal in the first instance with candidates. The total number of candidates applying was 547. Preliminary examinations took place at 68 centres on the 4th February, and 159 selected candidates attended the final examination at the college. _ These divided themselves as follows : —Singing, 51 pianoforte, 43; organ, 8; violin, 43; wind instruments, 6; and composition, 8. The professors and teachers present at the examination were: Professor Alfred Blume, Professor J. P. Bridge (Mus. Doc.), Professor Henry Holmes, Professor C. V. Stanford (Mus. Doc.), Professor C. Hubert H. Parry (Mus. Doc.), Professor Walter Parratt, Professor Albert,'Visetti, Professor Ernst P,auer, Professor Franklin Taylor, Mr. John F. Barnett, Mr. W. Lewis Barrett, Mr. Alfred Burnett, Mr. Frederick Cliffe, Mr. Gustave Garcia, Mr. Richard Gompertz, Mr. George Horton. Appended are the names of the successful candidates, and of those who are proxime acccsserunt: Singing.—Una Hariette Bruekshaw, Harlesden (elected to scholarship offered for composition); Ethel Mary Cain, Liverpool; Josse Willey, Grimsby. Proxime : Amy Isabel Allom, Barnes; Sarah Ann Jenkins, Blaina; Rose Long, Birmingham; Ellen Susannah Wheaton, Exmouth. Piano.Maud Bran well, Penzance; Annie Theodora Roper, Wolverhampton. Proxime : Camille Edwina Godfrey, London; Emily Rose Hodgson, Droitwich; Agnes Lloyd Lewis, Bangor; Matilda Madeline Payne, Bow; Maud Agnes Winter, Islington. '* Violin.—William Ackroyd, Bradford; Frances Ottawa Chew, Auckland. New Zealand ; Jessie Grimson, Ealing; Rosina M. M. Motto, London; Alfred Michael Wall, Camden-town (surrenders the honorarium, and becomes honorary scholar). Proxime : Horace Frank- Ralph, Kentish-town; Alice Edith Reynolds, West Kensington Lilian Margaret Wright, West Brompton. Organ.William Phillips, Pimlico. Proxime : Herbert William Chuter, Audover, Wind Instruments. —?lute, William John Matthews, Norwich. Proxime : Oboe, William Clegg, Dewsbury. Composition. of the candidates were found to reach a sufficiently high standard.