MUSIC IN THE SCHOOL

Taranaki Daily News, 12 July 1935, Page 10

MUSIC IN THE SCHOOL

HAWERA RENOWNED AFAR ORCHESTRAL AND BAND MUSIC. UNIQUE PEACE IN DOMINION. From small beginnings 10 years ago," when a drum and fife band was inaugurated, followed by a percussion band in the infant department, progress has been made at the Hawera school first with a school orchestra and then a full military band, the youngest combination of its kind in the Dominion. These were the outcome of the work of a few enthusiasts, with Mr. T. J. Hurrell as chairman and the late Mr. W. Hawkins as secretary, working in close co-operation with Mr. H. C. A. Fox as instructor. Each year Mr. Fox has taken his pupils from the “raw” state and evolved a remarkable combination that has made a name all over the Dominion. One of the factors' that added to this success was the .broadcasting by 2YA of a programme by an orchestra of 56 instrumentalists given at the Wellington town hall. j With Mr. Fox’s visit to England and return to Hawera came the move to form a complete military band, as the outcome of an offer by an anonymous donor of £2O, supplemented since that time by other donations, making a total contribution to date by the same person of £2OO, and by the results of a shop day and the generosity of a sympathetic public. At that time £lOO was required to purchase a full- set of instruments, and the Hawera Rotary Club stood bond for this amount, the instruments coming from the Royal Artillery •Band, England. Subsequently the club was released from its bond when sufficient funds were raised to complete payment. • - , . ’ The first rehearsal was held in. September, 1930, with 38 boys, whose ages ranged from eight to 12 years. With three exceptions no boy had received any instruction in the. instrument allotted to him, and it certainly reflected credit on all concerned that,- in the following July, the first public performance was given in the Hawera Opera . House. That the band is an acquisition to the school has been proved time and again, the instruction affording as it. does an outlet for the boy ■ who is not gifted with a voice for singing and also ; enabling .him • to receive i early training I in an instrument which, when the time comes for him to leave school, is a dis- '• tinct asset to the senior musical organ- ; isations of the town. ...... ? The Hawera Technical High School has j a military band which has derived the majority of its musicians from the primary school, which is also regarded as a nursery for the Orchestral Society and the Municipal Band. In the personnel of the senior orchestra-at the moment»nc fewer than 75 per cent, of the players received their first lessons in theory and practice as pupils of the school. In the stringed instrument class of to-day Mr. . Richard Maunder is doing excellent-work as instructor. . .