A GIFTED WELLINGTON FLAUTIST

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2134, 28 April 1914, Page 8

A GIFTED WELLINGTON FLAUTIST

SIGNOR AMADIO RETURNS,

Among tho interesting visitors to Wellington is Siguor John Amadio, the distinguished Melbourne flautist, who is accounted by sound critics to be ono of tho finest exponents of flute-playing in the world. Visiting artists of the standing of Melba- and Calve have testified to his artistic perfection, and Professor Marshall Hall, of Melbourne, who frequently visits tho artistic centres of the- Old World, says that ho knows of no finer artist as a flautist than Signor Amadio. After the Calve season in Australia, the diva presented Signor Amadio with a charming, bo-utoniei're, inscribed a-"' follows;—"To Messieuv Amadio—the perfect flautist," and ac* compaiiied this compliment with a handsome ruby ring. Melba offered the young player a long engagement at £20 per Week, .to tour with her, in the company of Ysayo (violinist),'and Backhaus (pianist), but the- offer was iiftt accepted, owing to the exceptionally good position Signor Amadio {who is not. yet 30 years of age) held in Melbourne. It iV interesting to recall the fadi that Signor Amadio' is a native of Christohurch, but when a, tender babo of twelve months he arrived her© with his parents, and when a very small hoy he developed a distinct inclination for music, and became a pupil of Mr. _ Charles Hill, of the. well-known musical He made rapid progress, and having tie necessary qualities of application as well as the soul of an artist, lie became a highly proficient flautist before he left Wellington, and even then he had not reached tho dignity of long trousers. His continued his studies in Melbourne, and when sixteen years of ago he was playiug the s.ota flute in tho big orchestra connected with the Italian Opera Company, of 1001-2, ho being the only woodwind player who was not brought out from Italy. Mr. Amadio states that the position respecting orchestral music in Melbourne is very unsatisfactory at the present- time, owing; to the operations ef the Musicians' pnion. He, together with such fficn as Hsttenbach, the 'eellist, and Ernest Toy, the violinist, decided that they could not and would not submit-to the petty tyranny of a union secretary, and refused te became members of the union. As tho result the union members were not allowed to play with them, and as they wore dependent on the union men, who were mostly employed at the theatres to supply certain, scet-ions of the orchestra, there- was a complete , deadlock. Tho Victorian Musicians' Association, which they had formed', were ..prepared to pay uniim wages to tho men. and though many of them would like to accept, they aro not allowed to do so by the union. And these concerts were not run for gain, but solely in .the interests of art. It Was preposterous and quite impossible for thefo to bo any workable lino where art was controlled by n, union. And behind the movement for giving orchestra! concerts was a solid fund amounting to £3000, a fund initiated by Lady Northeote. Signer Amadio cannot spare tho time to arrange a concert whilst in Wellington, as lie is to leave again for Sydney on .Friday next, but probably during tho nest'summer holidays he will c-omo-over again to leak up his friends, and then a concert might bo possible.