MUSIC IN THE THEATRE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20709, 6 May 1929, Page 11

MUSIC IN THE THEATRE.

O .■ ORGAN IS”. FOR THE EMPIRE THEATRE. * Mr Leslie V. Harvey, the organist who has been engaged by the Empire Theatre management to preside at the console of the Christie Unit organ, which is one of the features of the musical equipment, of that picture house, will make his first appearance on Friday night, having left Sydney by the Aorangi last Thursday. Mr Harvey comes to Dunedin with , a high reputation as a theatrical organist, having commenced his studies in this branch- of music in the California Theatre, in San Francisco, where one of the largest organs in America is installed. He spent seven years in this, theatre under the tutorship of Mr Wallace Sabin, . who is regarded in America as a master of organ music. For the past three years Mr Harvey has been organist at the Prince Edward Theatre, in Sydney, and during that period he gathered a large, and admiring public to his theatre. New Zealand listeners-in will not be strangers to his playing since he has o'ten been heard over the wireless. More than once He: has been responsible for an entire evening’s programme of'music broadcast by one or other of the Sydney stations. It is the purpose of the Empire Theatre management to make fuller use of the organ than has been the case in the past. When Mr Harvey takes control of the instrument be will appear at every matinee performance and will be responsible for all the music in. the programme, and at the evening performances his work will not he confined to the entr’acte. _ He will render the usual solos and. specialty numbers, but he will also work in conjunction with the orchestra, which from Friday will be under the direction of M. de Rose, late of the Octagon Theatre.