ROYAL CHORAL UNION

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2726, 22 March 1916, Page 3

ROYAL CHORAL UNION

AN AUSPICIOUS INAUGURATION

MR. ROBERT PARKER APPOINTED CONDUCTOR. 'The amalgamation of the Royal Choral Society and Wellington Musical lUnion consummated recently took prac-tical-form last evening, when the first rehearsal of "Faust" by the .Royal 'Choral'Union 1 took"place in St. Johns There was a very huge attendance of ladies (of both sections), but the men were not so strong, which is perhaps unavoidable in the .present circumstances. ■■~■,.' ■■■~ Before the rehearsal was commenced Mr. B, T. Caldow.-(who has been appointed chairman of 'the, committee) tnade. an interesting statement regarding the union's affairs. He said it would-be remembered that the appointjnent of the conductor was left to the committee, as was also that of the honorary accompanist. The union had put the responsibility on the few, and though they could not expect to satisfy everyone,' they had done, what they con-sidered-to be the correct thing.. . The committee hid been_ absolutely unanimous in the choice, it, had made,. one that be thought would guarantee that Ithe work of the union would go ( 0n (flourishing and still flourishing. (Apfolause.) He-did not see how it could jho otherwise. They were strong m foumbers—the. large attendance . wasWoof ofthatr-strong that way and in purpose to. live long and live well in the citv of Wellington. Owing to _ the . war th'ey were short of the requisite number'of men .to balance the choir; but they hoped to remedy that very soon by an appeal to the ladies to bring the men'along. ,They could not hope to get the young fellows who were away "doing their bit" at the front—(applause)—but he felt' sure there _ were many men in this town capable of rendering service in the 1 sphere of /choral music. / As to the conductor, the com'imittee':had gone very fully." into the

(matter. He did not think there, was ione phase of the matter that,was,., not •"discussed. They had received letters ifroin Auckland ,to the Bluff—he did not iknow they had so'many, friends—full of iatherly advice, which they regretted 'they.could not follow, and the conclu'sion they had come to was to appoint .their worthy and esteemed friend (who liad done more for music than anyone present), : - Mr. Robert Parker. -~; (Apiplause.)- Mr. Parker was physically; Vbetter than ho was three years ago, ivhen. he resigned from the Musical Union, and in appointing him the comHnittee had done their best. ' In_reply-. • jng to their offer, Mr. Parker, had written the following,letter:— ■-..' , ' _ "In reply to your letter of the 7th jnst., I beg to say that after carefulconsideration I have decided to accept the position of conductor,: which has, been offered to me by your committee. The offer was (to. me);as unexpected as it was unsought; and though I haa, in relinquishing the direction of the Musi--•cal Union some three years ago, virtually retired from such work; I felt that in the present circumstances'it was my: duty to'take it up again for a time. I ido so in the hope that the new union 'may be successfully, started in a Ion" jandV prosperous career, to which end *'my best energies shall be devoted for so long as I hold the position of conductor.—l am, dear sir, yours faithfully—(Sgd.) Robert Parker." ■ . - On,being formally introduced to the union, Mr. Parker referred smilingly, to bis having been: disturbed from the peaceful seclusion of old age to resume the work he had been connected-with 'for so long in Wellington. He had al : ways : tried to give the best that wo* in him, and though'he had carried, out such duties for forty years—before many,in the room were born—and was now past the age of ambition, he. still desired to be of. service and toment the appreciation of those capable of nudging his work. It had always been ! a point of etiquette with him not to Encroach' upon the domain of other professional gentlemen, and before accept-'ing-the position, he. had assured himsefi- that he was not impinging on any'one's rights. - That and the fact that'the committee'were unanimous in seeking his services had induced him ,to ac- ' cept the post, feeling that he'was still : capable of doing good work—though they all had their limitations—and that such work could be done pleasantly :amongst them. (Applause.): ' ■ It was: also announced that Mr. s. |W. Rowley (organist at St. Peter's) had 'accepted the position of "honorary pianist to the union.