SOCIETY OF MUSICIANS.

Otago Witness, Volume 1851, Issue 3809, 15 March 1927, Page 31

SOCIETY OF MUSICIANS.

ANNUAL MEETING. Dr. V. E. Galway presided at the annual meeting of the Society of Musicians, which w;as held in the Returned Soldiers’ Association Club Room on Saturday evening. In moving the adoption of the annual report and balance sheet, he said that the members’ meetings during the year had been made of a much more social nature. Ai i nleeti PS was held in the Women’s Club Rooms with supper at the conclusion of a most enjoyable programme of musical items and a talk on musical matters by Miss Favell (who had just returned from England). The August meeting was addressed by Mr E. Douglas Tayler, the newly-appointed director of music in schools. Supper and a pleasant social chat concluded a most enjoyable evening.' Dr Borland, who visited Dunedin at the end of 1926 as local examiner for Trinity College, gave a fine address on “Fundamentals of Musical Education” at the November meeting. Then on December 11 a most enjoyable social function was held in the Savoy Lounge to meet the members of the summer school. For this function the society combined with the Society of Women Musicians. Although considerably improved the attendance of members at meetings was not as good as it might hav® been. It was hoped to find the reason of this if possible and eliminate it. A most important event was a request from the Dunedin Competitions’ Society that the music for all the instrumental and vocal sections at the forthcoming festival should be chosen by the society. Sub-committecs had been appointed to carry out this request, and he was sure that a very fine selection had been made. With regard to the fourth annual conference, held in Auckland, until the Registration Bill became law, nothing very much could be done. They must be patient and console themselves with the knowledge that every year brought registration nearer, even if it did not make it. an accomplished fact. They would see that tho membership was well maintained, being 80, the balance sheet showed a credit balance of £5O 19s lid, which was a satisfactory financial position, even though there were some liabilities to be met. An event of great musical importance was the centenary of Beejhoven. which occurred this year. The society felt that it could not let so great ar, occasion go by without suitably commemorating it by some function. To this end it was proposed to hold a concert either in Burns Hall or His Majesty’s Theatre. He would ask that the incoming council be requested to make tho necessary arrangements. The motion for the adoption of the report and balance sheet was seconded by Miss B. Barth, and carried unanimously. The Chairman said he felt that the office of president should be a rolling one, and he hoped, for this reason that another would be appointed in his stead. General dissent was expressed by all present, and Dr Galway was re-elected by acclamation, several members eulogising the work done by him during his presidentship. Dr Galway said he greatly appreciated the honour the society had conferred upon him.

The officers for the ensuing year are:— President, Dr V. E. Galway (re-elected) ; vice-presidents — Miss E. Yorston, A.AIus.T.C.L.; Miss B. Barth, F.T.C.L.; Mr C. A. Martin. L.A.B (all re-elected); council—Miss E. Ford, L.R.A.M., L.T.C.L.; Miss E. Al. Logie. A.T.C.L.; Miss I. White, Mrs Mason, L.A.8., Mr E. Drake (re-elected!, Miss Meda Paine, L.A.8., and Mr John Leech: secretary and treasurer, Mr Harold Riddle, L.T.C.L. (reelected). The secretary was highly praised for the very excellent manner in which he had carried out the work of the society. In returning thanks for the honour of re-election, Mr Ridole said he greatly valued their praise of his work, and assured them of bis best efforts on the society’s behalf during the coming year.

Votes of thanks were accorded to the Bristol Piano Company for the use of the concert chamber, Mr Wm. Easton for auditing the books of the society, to the president for the large amount of work and thought he had given to the work of the society, and to the press for reports of meetings.