A WELLINGTON BOY’S SUCCESS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1745, 16 August 1905, Page 65

A WELLINGTON BOY’S SUCCESS.

N f\ MR THOMAS TROWELL. WINS THE CONCOUR PRIZE. It is just two years since the evident genius of Thomas and Garnet Trcnvell led a committee of Wellington citizens to take steps to send the lads to Europe to prosecute their musical studies. They left on August 3rd, 1903. Yesterday news was received from Europe of a distinction of the highest order being achieved by Thomas Trowell, which should he particularly gratifying to those who interested themselves in the young musicians. He has won the first prize at the Concour, or public examinations of the Royal Conservatorium at Brussels for ’cello playing. It was know some months ago that Thomas Trowell was to enter for this examination, but owing to the great difficulty of it, it was regarded as almost physically impossible that lie could succeed. Prior to presenting themselves for this examination the students have to undergo an exacting preliminary examination in harmony and composition. All the lectures are given in French, and this examination is, of course, conducted in the same language. When tlie Trowell boys went to the Conservatorium in September last they knew practically no French, but since then the ’cellist has made such progress as to be able to take the lectures and pass the examinations.

The Concour examinations, Mr G. G. Schwartz explains, are peculiar to the Royal Conservatorium of Music at Brussels, and may be compared with the Prix de Rome given in Paris for composition. Even to the preliminary examinations. only performers of pre-emi-nent ability are admitted, and this alone is a testimony to the ability of the young New Zealand ’cellist. The examinations are conducted in public in the presence of thousands of spectators in the Salle de la Grande Ilarmonie, and the judges are virtuosi invited from other centres for the purpose of obtaining unbiassed and unprejudiced decisions. -

In the examination in which Thomas Trowell was successful the jury consisted of M. Gaevaert, president of the Royal Conservatorium at Brussels, M. Ernest de Munck, M. Massau (the teacher of Gerardy), Prince Camaran, and others.

Seven students were considered good enough to be admitted, and Mr Trowell played fourth. The test piece was Romberg’s 7th concerto, commonly known as the Swiss concerto, played with orchestra. His own selection was Volkmannis concerto in A minor (opus 33), which is regarded as the most difficult concerto ever written for the ’cello. In this he introduced the famous klangel cadenza, with an addition of his own composition. His playing, which was greeted with a great ovation, seems to have peen a pronounced success. It may he mentioned that young Trowell is the first student for twenty years to win this prize at the age of seventeen, the last person to accomplish this feat being Hollman. Elsa Reugger was the winner one year, and Boellmann. composer of the “Variation Symphonique,” won it the last time it was awarded. For several years past no award has been made, the jury considering that none of the competitors oame up to the necessary standard. Ever since joining the conservatorium Thomas Trowell has been a pupil of the celebrated teacher, M. Jacobs. He is believed to be the first Englishman to win the Concour, and is certainly the first colonial. The Concour is regarded in the musical world much as a senior wranglership is at Cambridge or Oxford. At any rate, it is the hallmark of success at the conservatorium, for a student on gaining it is believed to have nothing further to learn there, and is not allowed to remain. The public award of the prize takes place with great ceremony in November. It is now proposed that the gifted New Zealander shall continue studying by himself and creating a repertoire, so that in the course of another twelve months he may be able to enter upon work as a concert artist. He has been the recipient of many congratulations from the musical world iu Europe and England. Master Garnet Trowell also continues to make good progress. The chief professor at the conservatorium, Mr Cesaie Thomson, who has just concluded a very successful season in America, and is conservative in respect to the personnel of his class, has decided to admit him from the Ist prox. to personal tuition.