STUDY OF MUSIC.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 401, 9 January 1909, Page 7

STUDY OF MUSIC.

THE PROPOSED GONSERVATQRIUM

Tho Minister for Edv\cation (Hon. G. Fowlds) gavo an encouraging reply to a deputation'.from the New Zealand University Senate, urging the desirableness o.f establishing a conservatprium of music. : 'Mr, Louis: Cohen said the deputation had no definite, scheme to submit to the Government; but they wished to have it recognised that the establishment of a consorvatorinm Was essential to the cultivation of musical art in Noiv Zealand. It was understood that Mr. 6. W, Russell had offered a site for the purpose. There was hopo that Canterbury CollegV. might see its way to come forward , with a substantial ,voto of money for the establishment of some such school. The matter of locality was of no concern to him- The conservatorium would not take away the living of private teachers. It, as a matter of fact,'would take those pupils who, had passed the examinations at present open to There was nothing in the Dominion to give a helping h,%nd to or save the talent that had been encouraged up to a certain point. There was no. grea qrohestva in Kew. Zealand. The talent was lost to the country. There was no comprehensivo machinery by which these young people:could carry their training further by the praotice ; of their art, Tho conse'rva-torium-vwould be - a piacc where the. highest teaching power would bo' centred not in one branch, but in' all the departments of musical art. It would bo a training ground ■ for teachers,and inculcate the .-soundest' principles of tasto, criticism, judgment, and performance.: The cost of salaries per year would' be about- £4000, leaving out,; of course, whatever income might be derived 'from fees.; The work of -tho conservatorium would be of littlo value unless it could hold the examinations.; Some £4000 went out of New Zealand to tho Associated Board and Trinity College every year. With av.properly established conservatorinm this money would give a financial basis to tho project in tho Dominion. MINISTER'S REPLY. : The .Minister, in reply, said he thought it would .be a very desirable thing to have an institution such as was sketcliod, but it was difficult to see in what way the Govern--ment could come into it it the present stage. First of all, there was a considerable position'...to by those .profes-; sional,'.musicians: of the Dominion who; were "f'ep'resßnted-.!:by.-iav'.pretty iargely-signed:-peti-r-ti'on' sent' in some time ago.. Of i course,'' "tiiatpetition.-:jmight have been 'signedMjndersometning of a misapprehension of the scope and intention of tho conservatorium. The first essential, it seemed to him, wovild ho to have a considerable,! amount of agreement. amoiigst those specially interested iin tho proposal, -and evidence of . sincerity and willingness to do something for themselves.' Ho did not see that the Government could pronounce on the subject' very definitely until they had a;more concrete proposal put be* fore them.; He would bring the matter before bis colleagues,;: but in tho . absence of any definite schema lie did not think theywould get much..-further, The Government recognised ;that encouragement, of tho art of music was in the interest of , the whole community,' and personally he; was in gyin? pathy with. the . idea. New' Zealand was under peculiar cirourastances .in having. its four centres so. widely separated that a conserratonom established at any one of them might not-.:beVto.\the advantage of. students "iiv the;;oth.er,-three' to the same extent;- .'al- . though; 'the;,heriefit'- would be. diffused 1 ; over the whole'Dominion."'.He could hot say any more-.;-than, if ..-the', scheme progressed,! and any-responsible body was'willing to take part and submit ; a -proposal, then the Government could \consider and deal with it, . ; -i

. Mr, Cohen- expressed .satisfaction with the Minister's reply, ; v' 1 ;"' ■ ;Tho petition, referred to. : b,v,-the.'Minister as having been' reoeived • from -professional' musicians 'puts 'forward • objections to- the cbnservatorium scheme on the ground-that the population of New Zealand" is 'too -small and scattered and not sufficiently'lriterpsited 'in music, to' benefit much from- such- an .institution ;; and :that it; would 'creafe'unfaircompetition against- ; private>-teaqhei petitioners attribute the sohe^e;:tb/- r on the "part - of; tol divert. t£i their ; fewn ■ qflffers' sthV'tees now paid .to. the Koyal Assotiatcd Board"and'TrSiuty, College,