THEY DON’T ALL CHOOSE THE BEST MUSIC, HE AVERS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17864, 4 June 1926, Page 5

THEY DON’T ALL CHOOSE THE BEST MUSIC, HE AVERS.

SUPERVISOR OF MUSIC EDUCATION IS NOW IN CHRISTCHURCH

Holding that there was a tendency on the part of some teachers in New Zealand not always to choose the best music, Mr E. D. Tavler, Supervisor of Musical Education for the Dominion, who is on his first visit to Christchurch, stated this morning that teachers should set their ideals very high. “I am very pleased to find everybody so keen about music,” said Mr Tayler. "It has a great power over us. We don't always realise what a great force we are dealing with when we handle it.” PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND SOCIAL EFFECTS. Mr Tayler said that it was very important that teachers should realise the physical, mental and social effects of music. It had good effects when it was taught properly and bad effects when the teaching was not carried out in the proper manner. It had to be borne in mind that music was essentially a recreation. The infant, therefore, must approach it as a game and the elder children as a pleasure. The relation of music to life must not be lost sight of; and the learning of music should not be made a matter of dry theory. LEARN TO LISTEN INTELLIGENTLY. “We want to foster music in the children,” said Mr Tayler. “and in after years they will naturally form themselves into choral societies and orchestras for the production of the best music. They must also learn to listen intelligently through the study known as musical appreciation. The creative talent must be encouraged, and just as we expect every child to be able to write a decent letter when he leaves school, we should also expect him to express himself in melody. To achieve these happy ends it will be necessary to have our training colleges thoroughly well equipped, and to have music taught in the best possible way in the practised schools.” YACATIONAL COURSES. Vacational courses, Mr Tayler said, would be held for those teachers already in the field. An effort should be made, he said, to get facilities for enabling teachers to obtain books and music helpful to them in their work. The possibilities of the gramophone in bringing children into touch with the best music and the achievements of great performers should be borne in mind. The radio, too. was of great importance in this direction. “NOT YET.” With regard to a tendency on the part of some teachers not to choose the best music, Mr Tayler said that that might be because of the difficulty experienced in obtaining music, but he hoped that that would be- remedied in time. In reply to a question, Mr Tayler said that he had heard good music otherwise than in schools during his visit to Wellington. “I have not heard any in Christchurch yet,” he said, “but of course, I have only been here a few ! hours.”