PEOPLE RETURNING TO THE ARTS

Waikato Independent, Volume XLIV, Issue 6108, 3 October 1947, Page 4

PEOPLE RETURNING TO THE ARTS

THE EDITOR'S COMMENT.

It is very noticeable, even more so than after the 1914-18 war, that the People of this Dominion anyway—are returning to the arts. It is not a difficult search to find the cause of this return to a renewed and greater appreciation of music, drama, the dance, literature, painting, needlework, the many hobbies and particularly to gardening, flowers and all the things of nature. The minds, the very souls, of people have sickened of the horrors and the utter, futility of wars and so the people are seeking individual expression of being in the better things of life. Music has ever been a popular, satisfying medium of the expression of a great many people. In fact the person who does not possess some degree of musical appreciation, is regarded as an oddity; but it is about the return to art and music that is of immediate interest in this district, for the eighteenth anuual festival of the Cambridge Competitions Society commences on Monday next and will continue for the greater part of the week. It is a fact that the people are returning' to the arts and this is evidenced in the greatly increased interest in such attractions. Societies that have been dormant during the war are relivening with increased vigour. Next week's festival will be the second of the Cambridge Society since the war ended and it is most satisfactory that the revival has been quick and generous. The society is among the oldest in the country and it is a credit to those adminstrators of the past that many of the newer bodies have modelled their organisations and their activities on the Cambridge Society. It is of considerable interest to observe that the local executive is not content to rest upon laurels gained by the administrators of the past; but on this occasion the Committee has introduced several innovations. It is possible that a lead is being given to the rest of the Dominion in one important direction. That is in emphasising the actual value of the festival, lather than the competitive aspect among the younger performers. In support of this the committee has eliminated prize-money for all of the children's classes and prize-winners will receive certificates instead. The innovation is not original for in many of the festivals in the Old Country a similar practice is adopted. This is all to the good for such festivals are promoted to increase the appreciation of music among a greater number of young people, not to mention the adults, and the prize-winners are always only a very small percentage of the entrants. It is to the great majority of entrants that the interest must, be chiefly directed. Some may think it a bold step to take, but parents and others would do well to think first of the educational value of such festivals and, in fact, give, very little consideration, if any,, to the monetary rewards. It is understood this attitude may be applied to adult classes in the future. Appreciation must be offered to the committee on the attention that marks the preparations for the coming festival. Highly qualified adjudicators have been secured, and as well as being of great value to competitors, their comments will surely be much appreciated by all who attend the eighteenth festival. Every effort is being made by the society to provide the opportunity for the public of this and neighbouring districts to appreciate the value of music, elocution and dancing. It has already been said there is a»revival of interest in. music, that is the product of the individual person physically, or per medium of some musical instrument requiring study on the part of the individual to execute. This is highly desirable for we have certainly drifted very badly in the direction of leaning vupon what is commonly referred to as "canned" music for our entertainment. This being so, then let the people of Cambridge join whole-heartedly with the visiting and local competitors and others interested in offering the greatest possible measure of encouragement to, the eighteenth annual festival of the Cambridge Competitions Society.