MUSIC IN NEW ZEALAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 2812, 5 February 1908, Page 69

MUSIC IN NEW ZEALAND.

- (Fbou Otjb ' Own Cobbespondext.) WELLINGTON, February 5.

The remarks of Mr Louis' Cohen, a member of the Univflrsity Senate, on the subject of music in New Zealand are likely to lead to a lively controversy. Mr Robert Parkier, the clever Wellington musician, has already, taken up the case on behalf of his brotherprofessionals. In regard to one phase o£ Mr Cohen's criticism he writes: "There' ca<n be no ' doubt whatever that a cours© of study in such institutions as those in* London or Leipzig is a very admirable thing 1 for those who are entering the profession, but I venture to say that there are inWellington and other cities of the Dominion/ scores of young teachers locally trained who/ 1 are .now doing admirable work— work which' I could, hardly.be improved by ally scheme of musical education — work, I may add, which. l ' I year /by year draws .unstinted praise from; the English -musicians who visit us as examiners. And aurely it is a childish thing; to complain in these early days of the few--■ness of - candidates for musical degrees in -our infant university 1 Is Mr Cohen a.ware that in Oxford and Cambridge,- with their enormous prestige and their -annual output! of hundreds of graduates in/arts, p-the number, of bachelors of music created each year is extremely, small? 1 I think I may safely say that in the combined universities there »ro not a dozen."