COMMUMTY SINGING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18077, 29 April 1922, Page 11

COMMUMTY SINGING.

INCENTIVE TO HAPPINESS. "ANTIDOTE TO ALL 'ISMS.'" SUCCESS IN WELLINGTON. The dictum "everybody ougiit to sing " j has been pronounced more than once by I eminent physicians on the score that singjing induces rhythmic breathing and | steadies the nerves, but it has remained for : the promoters of community singinj to | put forward a new claim, that this class of singine is an antidote to Bolshevism, anarchism, and all the undesirable "isms" I that are worrying the world to-day. At I all events, that is the opinion held by j leading business men of Wellington, who 'have formed themselves into an organisa- , tion described yesterday by Mr. Albert I Russell, who is at present visiting Auck- , land. S "We claim this for community singing," 1 he said, " and base our claim on the fact ■ that singing is one of the most natural 1 and instinctive methods of expressing hap. piness. If you can only gef. a lot of I people together for a certain period once a I week, and make them sing you are going to jive them somethin e to look forward to, something that will make them happier and more content- with their danv life." The idea, though new to the Dominion, has been taken up most enthusiastically jin England and America, also in Melbourne and Adelaide, continued Mr. Russell, and had been introduced to Wellington atx weeks ago by a visitor, Mr. Cyril Mee, who trained the community songleaders for tho American troops during the war. A raeetinc of prominent Wellington business men was held, the Mayor presiding, and those present formed themselves into a committee to introduce the scheme. It met with immediate success, ,\ho attendance at the first " sing " numbering ibout 800 and at the last no fewer than 4000. " Everybody sings," explained Mr. Russell. " Community singing does not consist of a trained choir leading other people v ag some folk imagine; it is tho singing of the people themselves. The " siugs " are held in the Town Hall from mid-day until two o'clock ono day each week. We have an accompanist at the piano, and a song leader who acts as conductor. That is all. Leaflets are distributed with 12 or 14 choruses or songs known to everybody and then the lender announces which will be sung, gives them a start, and off they go; It is wonderful to hear them. Some people drop in for a song or bwo and then leave, others stay longer. The attendance figures I have given represent the total number who pass in and out during the two hours. There is nothing whatever of a commercial proposition about the thing. The organisers simply believe that it is a good and beneficial thing for the whole community. A collection is taken as the people pass out, and they contribute from a penny to sixpence according to the amount of enjoyment they have got out of it. The money is used for the hire of hall, piano, advertising, and printing. Our first collection amounted to £7 18s, our last to £30. We hope soon to get a booklet printed containing 50 community songs." In conclusion. Mr. Russell expressed the hope that Auckland musicians would take ud the scheme and enlist the support of the business men of the community with the idea of establishing it on the same lines as had been done in Wellington. " We would like to see community singing established from the North Cape to the Bluff." ho declared, " for it has proved itself a fine thing wherever it has been established. I sliall be back in Auckland next month, and if Auckland can get a committee together by that time I wo-Ud be very pleased indeed to handle the first " sing " for them. By the way please note, we do not sing hymns. Just the good old-fashioned songs that everyone lorn, with a few tuneful, popular choruses to keep us cheerful."