PROFESSIONAL ORCHESTRA

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 263, 2 August 1919, Page 10

PROFESSIONAL ORCHESTRA

(Contributed.)

An institution which deserves the support of the community is the Wellington Professional Orchestra. Each month the publio is regaled with the choicest. in orchestral music by this capable and enthusiastic body of musicians. The programmes are carefully selected to suit the taste of all lovers of good music, be their desire for the lighter class or the heavier Wagnerian,,style. To-morrow evening the orchestra will essay the brilliantly descriptive and difcult overture to the "Flying Dutchman" (Wagner), which is described as a vivid and realistic piece of -programme pusic. The rehearsals indicate that the" orchestra will give a good account of it. Asked as to tho financial prospects for the season, one of the committee stated that matters were not very satisfactory. "We had to contond against opposition concerts in the early part of the season, and this reduced our collections considerably. So far the season has resulted in a loss of about Xlfl. We must appeal to our patrons to respond more liberally at the doors. Unless we can carry forward a credit balance we will not bo justified in commencing' again next year." This is a rather serious position. For many years no local amateur orchestral society has been ablo to keep its head above water, and the educational value of the work done by the Professional Orchestra, for the past eleven years, per medium of its Sunday concerts, must not b'e underestimated. This orchestra would be a credit to any city in Australasia. Cannot something be done to keep this organisation together. Cannot the city subsidise the society, say, to the extent of .£2OO a year? This trifling sum would not be missed by tho municipality, and yet be of the greatest assistance to an organisation, tho disbanding of which would be a loss to the city.