A DOMINION ORCHESTRA.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 418, 29 January 1909, Page 4

A DOMINION ORCHESTRA.

■'Much might be said in. favour- of-the proposalj'-fecommended by the Profes.sional;. Musicians' Conference at'Auck- 1 .'land, .'.to! , establish a permanent orchestra for the Dominion, like that which delighted ■ musical ■;visitors to -th,e New .Zealand International Exhibition.'-'-' If there is truth'. : .in -the' classic : indictment of "the- man-'.that -hath , ■no music in his soul," the,neglect,'of musical culture in a nation-is.rio^ohly.a:negative misfortune, it- is> a, certain way to ,breed bad citizens.' The "proposal: of 'a permanent orchestra will - escape 'thV: opposition" fromrnusic teachers-which : threatens to 1 nip -in 'the bud ,the.: alternative proposal,. supported by'the University Senate, to establish ,a conservatofiu'm of music- It seems doubtful, if the time' is ripe for the ■formation of a conservatprium. in ;this,country;,-in view,of:the:ppposition of a section ofthe people most concerned, its : : establishment , might ■■: prove,, a.' : very.' hazardous';; experiment. . Certainly.4he 'influence of..an'orchestra would roach the masses, more ,dt, .rectly ,i arid, its'- existence would be : no Valid argument"against.'the institution.of , : a; /conßorvatorium;.. at some,, iuture.-, datp, ; when'there'; would.bo moro" students 1 to, ■ensure * its. : - success,' an d the. opinions' : of musicians -as"a .class -had been ..won : over to the innovation. But there.is one ob-, stacle to ; tho; of .'either ' a consefyatorium-.or. : an- orchestra, -.which has'not, .we think n 'assumed suificient irri-, pdrtance'with , those who. cry .for either scheme; •'. If An; orchestra i a undoubtedly, desirable,: but,. , in'.th'e expressive music language of". the" masses; -■' 'who is to,' pay' the ■piper I"-..', The''Senate has .suggested ; .that, the-Government should set aside'a sum oi. moneys for the:institution of; a conservatorium; ythe/profesibnal musicians think that .the'-Government "might -.devote its ; fundsi ; to , , their attractive project. But, :thie: Government has no;funds ,to..spare;,,'-The orohestra would support, itself to. some .extent by concerts,,arid the .cbns'ervatorium; by',undertaking of inusical examinatioh which isnow. perfdrrned by' English authorities, would in-, torcept, it is: explained, about ;'£dooo a ; year, which -now goes out of the Dominion. i'But for.eitherscheme a : considerable, expenditure at the. outset- would be.necessary, .(and - money is not so plentiful, at present that.the , . Government, i can" afford, to spend it on either', luxuries; or, experiments,.•■•( Unless' some other scheme can be evolved, ; for. their -financing, the orchestraV'ahd^alsd.the'eonse'rvatbrium,'shb'uld wait..: l : '■■■■ ':'■:■ --V. 1 .---.■'':.-,- v / ■:'■■ ■, •■;••-..• ■:•.-■....:■'■■•..,