RADIO POLICY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 17, 4 February 1937, Page 3

RADIO POLICY

The Conservatorium of Music NOT A THING OF BRICKS "Not a thing of bricks and mortar only" was a phrase used by the Director of Broadeasting, ' Professor James Shelleyj to describe the conservatorium of music and the spoken arts which it is planned to esta,blish in the Dominion. As the university existed wherever there was , teaching, Professor Shelley said so the conservatorium would be throughout the Dominion, At the opening of the new 2YA station at Titahi Bay, Professor? Sheiley said: "Guest artists, couductors and producers from overseas would be invited not only to broadcast, but to stay for a considerable time and teach local performers in the conservatorium." Elaborating this statement in an interview, Professor Shelley said that it was not planned to.displace New Zealand teachers by bringing artists from overseas. The idea was to bring the teachers themselves under the influence of the best artists it was possible to bring to the Dominion and in that way to encourage the practice of music and the spoken arts. As it would be represented by good teachers in all the centres, the conservatorium would he Dominion wide and not merely an institution wor king in a single centre. It should be possible, Professor Shelley said, for New Zealanders to conduct the " music examinations which are held annually in the Dominion. Under the -present eystem, an eminent

musician was sent to the country to do the work. It would be one of the aims of the conservatorium so to equip j New Zealand musicians that - they would be qualified to do work like that uuder the' direction of the overseas exaniihers. With *such a system in use ; the. overseas examiners*- could have a greater influence on the. arts of the country than they . could have under the system now in use.

. A National Orehostra. The national symphoriy orchestra to be associated with- the conservatorium would include a number . of musicians who would put all their time.into the work of the orchestra. It would not be possible, for finaneial reasons, to have a large symphony orchestra in each of the -four centres. - -To do- that would absorb a large aiuount,of the broadeasting serviee's incopie. So it was intended that' the orchestra should practice works at its headquarters, and, after performing them there; visit the other centres. . Only the full-tima meinbers would travel, and the orchestra would be brought up to its full stren'gth by playerS from ihe city heing visited. The. part-time players in the various centres could be practising simultaneously. ' Publlo Perfcrmances. The artists to be brought to New Zealand would be the best it was possible to bring, Professor Shelley said, and one thing which would help toward this would be the system under which they would give their performances. They ' would play or sing or speak in halls to which the public would have admission at a reasonable charge, and they would be given every opportunity to exert their influence for the benefit ,of the Dotninion. . Broadeasting was the greatest influence in the world to-day, Professor Shelley said, and the job which had been entrusted to him was to guide New Zealanders in their use of it. It was not his intention to foist anything on the Dominion, but to provide for their needs as they deciared them.