MUSIC EXAMINATIONS.

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17917, 13 January 1930, Page 9

MUSIC EXAMINATIONS.

ALFRED HILL’S SUGGESTION-

SCHEME THOUGHT IMPRACTICABLE VIEWS OF MR DIXON. . “Why should New Zealand exchange one music master for another, particularly when the standard of examination may he lowered by the change?” asks Mr W. H. Dixon, conductor of the Royal Christchurch Musical Society, and lately of Ipswich, England. In Mr Alfred Hill’s suggestion that New Zealad should do away with overseas examiners, Mr Dixon finds merely, a scheme by which musicians from the Australian convervatoriums will ponduct the Dominion’s musical examinations.

In Wellington last week Mr Hill strongly urged that the system of having musical examinations conducted by English commercial institutions should be stopped. One would hardly call the Royal College of Music or the Royal Academy of Music “commercial institutions,” thought Mr Dixon. They certainly did not exist for the profit of individuals. Such colleges as these, ’by their examinations, set a standard in music that was known to be reliable. Further, it was an international standard, recognised throughout the Empire. What was New Zealand to set up a colonial standard of its own? And could the same reliance be placed on examinations conducted within the Dominion as on those conducted from London and arranged by great specialists?

A Definite Standard. Mr Dixon had faith in examinations as an inspiration to systematic study, which was necessary in music as in most things. But such examinations were useless if they did not guarantee a definite and dependable standard. Mr Hill argued that thousands of pounds would be saved to New Zealand every year if the Dominion conducted its own examinations. This money might be devoted to the formation of a symphony orchestra. But Mr Hill must realise, thought Mr Dixon, that a symphony, orchestra in New Zealand was quite impracticable because of expense, insufficient supply of players, and the great distance to be covered in touring. At any rate, by the time an organisation for examinations within the Dominion had been perfected, he doubted whether there would be any money left over for the establishment of an orchestra.

■ Sydney people, said Mr Hill, were keen to help, and would send two ,good men, to put the scheme on its legs. Was. not this merely exchanging one master for another, and risking a lowering of the examination standard?

Reading Between the LinesReading between the lines, Air Dixon regarded the Whole suggestion as an attempt to put the control of musical examinations in New Zealand in the hands of the Sydney Conservatorium, which itself depended largely on a staff of "imported experts.”

. A feature of modern Australia was the tendency to secede from England in politics, commerce, and customs. The attempted secession in music was part of the same policy. As for the statement that -‘‘though some English examiners still visit the Commonwealth, they admit that it would not be worth while without New Zealand,” it is pointed out that this year four examiners from the. Associated Board went to Australia and only one to New Zealand.

“What I would say is this,” added Mr Dixon. “Let us encourage a movement by which the younger people may have training -in the different instruments. Then, perhaps in another generation, we shall have our own conservatorium of music and be able to set our own good .standards. At present, and for some time to come, Air Hill's scheme is quite impracticable.”