MUSICAL EXAMINATIONS.

Waikato Times, Volume 97, Issue 15184, 9 March 1923, Page 6

MUSICAL EXAMINATIONS.

“AN UNMITIGATED CURSE.”

(Contributed.)

In a recent issue (Oetobr 22) of the London Observer correspondents have used strong words about a familiar feature of our musical life. Examinatlonsvare described as “a stimulant or form of drug, vrtiich leave the individual most concerned In a state of subsequent relapse. The joy of. com. peiing is far too often a substitute for the subtle music per se, which thereby suffers accordingly.” Others went further, roundly condemning all examinations as “an unmitigated curse.” These are probably wrong; the first, partly right. 'There are teachers of music in New Zealand whose pupils proceed from one examination to another, practicing nothing that is not in the syllabus. This at best is a form of sport, and a poor one at that. Others, however, take the esamination in the pupil’s stride, causing no deviation from a sound course of training, offering to the pupil a little occasional stimulant that is not at all undesirable, and assuring the parent that steady progress is being made. Itt our grandparents’ days musical examinations, save those for University degrees, were unknown; but our grandparents spent their time upon “Warblings at Eve” and “The Maiden’s Prayer," and the disappearance of material of that kind from the school musical curriculum is largely due to the higher standard of taste and of musical execution brought in by this very examination system. But there is one abuse that per. sists, and rarely is any voice raised against it—public examinations conducted by private examining bodies. These institutions examine throughout the Empire. In style they are indistinguishable from the national institutions, and in fact they are pretty generally confused with these by pupils, parents, and by some teachers. They are usually (but not always) limited liability companies, whoso aims and objects are purely commercial—musically their status is practically nil. They are of course refused recognition in any way by the Teachers’ Registration Council, established by British Act of Parliament, but this does not prevent their operations; and the national institutions, though established by Royal Charter, have no power to take action against them. The only remedy is really in the of parents, who should make careful enquiry into the standing of any musical institution before paying entry fees for their children. A pass, even wild honour's, is of no value if the institution awarding it is of doubtful status. At the present time -musical exam, inations by irresponsible bodies have become a scandal in Australia, and it is to be hoped that New Zealand will not reach the same deplorable level. But there can be no question that the evil is already witli us, perhaps more markedly in the South Island than the North.