SINGERS WARNED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20132, 29 December 1939, Page 5

SINGERS WARNED

j ASPIRANTS ABROAD

SYDNEY TEACHER’S VIEWS FULL TRAINING NEEDED “I would like to give a strong word of warning to New Zealand’s vocal aspirants against coming over to Australia in the expectation of accomplishing a great deal in a very short time,” said Mr. Roland Foster, wellknown singing teacher of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, when discussing in Auckland the prospects of Dominion singers in Australia. Mr. Foster is on a six weeks’ visit to Auckland after an absence of four years. “Frequently I have known young singers arrive financially unprepared for a proper course in study and hoping to keep themselves going by obtaining engagements while pursuing their studies,” Mr. Foster said. “The result has been that when their funds are exhausted they either return home disappointed and disillusioned or they fall back upon some commercial occupation. "It should be remembered that even fully-trained and experienced artists arriving from New Zealand would have to go through a period of probation, as it were, before entering the ranks of professional singers already well known and well established. This is manifestly impossible for partially trained singers who have only their natural voices to recommend them.” Claims (o Recognition Mr. Foster said the general opinion seemed to be that the musical world was always on the look-out for new talent and ready to welcome it with open arms. On the contrary, newcomers to a great musical centre, wherever it might be. had to enforce their claims to recognition by proving their capabilities to be equal to those who were already favourites. Such had been the experience of singers of the calibre of Melba and Gladys Moncrieff. New Zealand possessed many really fine voices, but voice alone was nol sufficient nowadays, Mr. Foster added. Those who hoped to do important work must also have a thoroughly sound musical knowledge and a command of languages in addition to vocal | skill and artistry. These qualifications : could not be obtained without at least ! two or three years of comprehensive | training. Over-impatience to, succeed i only defeated its own object.