THE STUDY OF MUSIC.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LI, Issue 16921, 30 December 1925, Page 8

THE STUDY OF MUSIC.

CCXSKRYATCmrM SUGGESTED. Ml! ALFRED HILL OPTIMISTIC. ONLY CH"BSTI()i,\ OF 01RGAN1SER. "What has been done in Sydney could be done in New Zealand," said Mr Alfsed Hill, of Hie stall". of the New Smith Wales Oonservatorhim of Music v,ho is \isilmg Wtllingtcn on li :. n V. to America. "You only ha.ve to get a sound organiser, not a committee, and a scheme similar to ours." A man should go round New Zealand and get. a grasp of the teaching talent of the country, and having made quite sure of his team, invite them to join a New Zealand Conscrvatorium of Music, which should be under Government authority, and bring their clientele along with them.

"The advantages of such an institution as this are too numerous to particularise." said Mr Hill. "There is the atmosphere of endeavor that is indissolubly associated with the institution. You cannot have two thousand students in one building with an orchestra and quartets and fingers going hard at it from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, without creating an atmosphere of cultural effort. You cannot have twenty students going Mj» fur their diplomas, which are going tn give them a definite standing in the community, without encouraging hundreds of others to compete, and yet the student, who has been going 'to one teacher and is perhaps attached l to that person need have no fear of losing lu'm and his interest, for the teachers are, after all. acting in the same way aa heretofore, but in association with a,

great musical academy. They are provided with free leaching room at the conserva.torium and in return pay the Government 12 per cent, up to £SOO a year, and a Utile more after that; hut it is the community of instructional forces in place of isolated units that gives the institution its strength, and would '1" so, I feel sure, in New Zealand."

Askedi whether he would favor the establishment of one conservatoriuro in ea.ch island', or one for the whole of the country, Mr Hill said Tie thought one would be ample for the requirements of New Zealand until it had doubled its present population.