SUCCESS OF MUSIC WEEK

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1059, 25 August 1930, Page 10

SUCCESS OF MUSIC WEEK

PROFIT OF £SO OR £6O EXPECTED ENCOURAGING RESULT Although it is impossible to determine the exact financial result of Music Week until the season tickets are all returned, it is anticipated by the committee that a profit of from £SO to £6O will result. The Music Week proposal was first mooted by the Auckland delegates to the annual conference of the New Zealand Society of Musicians held at Palmerston North early this year. Although in Auckland it was thought by many musicians that a week of musical concerts could not but result in financial failure, the scheme was enthusiastically taken up by a committee representative of all the musical societies in Auckland, and elected at a public meeting presided over by the Mayor, Mr. George Baildon. The objective of Music Week was to further public appreciation of music and by marshalling all the musical forces of the city during the week, attract public interest and thus bring the public back to the concert halls, a form of cultural entertainment that has been rather neglected during the past few years. The result in Auckland has exceeded all expectations, state members of the committee. Although it was held by many that if the public would not attend the concerts in ordinary times the attendances would not be increased during a whole week of music, it was found that as the week progressed the audiences became larger- The sole object behind the movement was to advance the cai}se of music and for this reason no attempt was made to make a profit through the medium of high prices. The prices were kept as low as possible, and this fact, together with the high standard of the entertainments, resulted in the patronage of the public being freely extended. COMMITTEE TOOK THE RISK Concerning themselves first and foremost in an effort to make Music Week pay expenses and thus avoid individual liability to which all members of the committee had committed themselves, the executive had not given much thought to the possibility of having profits to dispose of, stated a member on Saturday. In fact, he added, to many who had taken the liability upon themselves, it seemed rather q remote possibility. Until a meeting of the committee is held and a balance-sheet produced no definite decision can be made regard T ing the disposal of the profits. It is thought likely, however, that the money will be set a.side as a reserve fund from which to finance another Music Week next year. In the event of this becoming a yearly event, as there seems to be every likelihood, a reserve fund will be necessary in order to provide against losses caused by wet weather, a contingency that is always possible. The immense popularity of Music Week must have the effect of stimulating greater interest in music, and in this reaction the Auckland musical societies which, of late years, have experienced very lean times, should benefit considerablj\