SCHOOL MUSIC

Hokitika Guardian, 9 April 1927, Page 3

SCHOOL MUSIC

HIGH STANDARDS SOUGHT

Air E. Douglas Tayler superintenednt of music to the Education Department arrives in Hokitika to-night and vists local schools on Monday and in the evening at the Town Hall "ill deliver an address on “The Appreciation of Music” at S o'clock. Mr Tayler who came from England to undertake the supervision ol music in schools, in |,is addresses, makes judicious use ol gramophone to illustrate his points.' and for the purpose of comparing the music of various countries, as well as to indicate the peculiarities of the music and the musical methods ol the world’s peoples. In this way the address is not only informative but high]v interesting and entertaining. Air Tayler is an ardent supporter of school choral music as a means of collectively training children in singing and prefers choral to solo work for the voting soloist being exposed to the detrimental influences attendant on being in the limelight.” He does not believe in grafting adult ideas on to children, holding that the music in

the child should he allowed to develop naturally, in the course of which the judicious correction of palpable faults which obtrude themselves, can he made of great assistance to pupils. Tn taking up music in the schools as the Education Department of New Zealand has now done, it is certain that results infinitely more satisfactory and desirable than anything possible under the old haphazard methods of relying on the musicianship ol teachers in general, will he achieved. Already, the departure of appointing a superintendent of music in schools lias justified itself, for the one sufficient reason that music has been given its place in the education of the child.

Besides lecturing in the schools. 'l' Taylor makes time to find out what is going on musically, in the towns lie visits, and is himself an instrumentalist. the organ being his hobby. Discussing music in general terms, it is easy to discern that his interest is centred in good music, and that music of the cheap, tawdry typo find no favour of encouragement from him