MUSIC IN NEW ZEALAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12759, 9 January 1905, Page 6

MUSIC IN NEW ZEALAND.

AN EXPERT'S OPINION. HIGH STANDARD OF TEACHING. [BY TCLKGKAPH.— OWN COHKESI'OXDEXT.] Ch RiSTCitcKrrr, Saturday. Tits examinations which have- been held during the last few years by -the Associated Board of the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal Colleere of Music are now, says the Lyttelton Times, firmly established, and, in a' great measure, supply the want of a colonial school. The examiners are numbers of the staffs of the institutions, and include many of the most distinguished musicians and most eminent musical authorities of the day. The examiner in New Zealand for 1904- was Mr. Graham P. Mcore. professor of the pianoforte at the Royal College of Music, South Kensington. No general re-' port on the examinations is published, but Mr. Moore gave a representative of the Times a very brief resume of his impressions as he was leaving New Zealand. "I was hero four years ago as an examiner," I he said, "and I spoke in very favourable terms then of the standard obtaining in J most of the centres. In the meantime there ! has hern very great progress in every respect among teachers in improved methods, i and among their uupils nit increased technical facility and greater finish in the finer details j of interpretation. The standard of the Board has always Ik en considered a high one, but, judging from the numbers . of 'passes' and 'distinctions' awarded this year, it is not beyond the capacities of the majority of those examined. The Board awards four medals each year, two gold and two silver. The chief distinction in the senior grade was obtained by a singing candidate from the convent at Blenheim, who has been admirably trained by one of the sisters. The silver medal in the senior grade was won by a candidate from the Dominican Convent j at Dunedin, who played with groat technical i care and finish. In the intermediate grade '■ the gold medal went to a pupil of Mr. Robert ; Parker, of Wellington, and the silver medal j to a pupil of Mr. J. Bennett, of Auckland, j The competition for these medals was re- ' markabl.v keen, a number of candidates coming within a mark or two of the successful performers. The great number of entries may fairly bo regarded as evidence of the confidence placed in the examinations by the musical profession of the colony. "As for the teaching of music in the colony," continued Mr. Moore, "it is in a very sound condition indeed. There are thoroughly competent teachers in all the larger towns, and, what, impressed me more strongly, there are teachers equally good in the smaller towns, where a high standard of instruction could hardly be expected." A Question concerning the organisation of teaching drew the emphatic reply that organisation on lines* of nroved value would be the best thing possible for the colony. " A school of music, established on the plan of existing institutions in Europe," he said, "could achieve splendid results in a colony so full of musical enthusiasm as is New Zealand. There is a great deal of real talent. in the colony, and, what is "of ever greater importance, there is a great deal of earnest and genuine feeling for good music; and, considering the quantity of good material to work on, the colony should not, hesitate to establish a regular school of music.