FREE-LANCE MUSICIAN

New Zealand Listener, Volume 6, Issue 149, 1 May 1942, Page 19

FREE-LANCE MUSICIAN

A "Listener" Interview

and a performer a performer," said a friend of mine who makes her living as a concert and radio artist. "It’s very seldom that the two can mix. I began by teaching, but my idea all along was to support myself solely by concert and radio engagements, The unfortunate pupils were just a means to an end, and as I began to get along without them I gradually dropped them." "TIsn’t it possible to learn from a world-famous artist?" "Yes, once you’ve reached a certain standard of proficiency. Heddle Nash, for instance, gave me some very useful tips, but I very much doubt whether he could have taught anybody to sing right from the beginning. And in any case it would have been a scandalous waste of his time. Generally speaking, you’ve got to have a special aptitude for teaching before you can communicate your own knowledge to somebody else." "Which did you teach, violin or singing?" I asked, knowing that she was equally talented in either direction. "Violin. I took up singing later on, when I’d decided to try my luck as a free lance. I realised that if I was to make a living solely by music I’'d have to have two strings to my bow. I could sing a little and I began then to study it seriously. And another thing I realised was that if I was to make a living by music I céuldn’t afford to pick and choose. Many people who are beginning their musical career make the mistake of being too high-brow and imagine that they are betraying their sacred birthright if they consent to sing anything like 6é ‘ TEACHER is born a teacher,

"When They Begin the Beguine." I remember Heddle Nash saying to me "Wherever you go always go along with your ears open" and I know that I personally learnt a lot more about rhythm from taking part in a Saturday night programme of popular music artistically arranged and presented than from a pfogramme, however impeccably classical, which is faultily arranged and performed." It Was Hard to Start "Wasn’t it hard work getting started? In the beginning, did you take up music as a sideline or did you always intend to take it up professionally?" "When I was at school I decided that when I grew up I'd make a living play-| ing in a theatre orchestra, But by the time I finished school there were nd. longer any picture orchestras. I had to do something and I wanted to get a part-time job so that I’d have plenty of time for practice. There weren’t many part-time jobs to be had, and there was a depression on. I did various things, like canvassing from door to door and minding children, and finally I landed a job answering the telephone in a butcher’s shop in the mornings. That suited me very well, particularly as the butcher often let me finish early. I still go into that shop sometimes, and he always tells me that he’s following my career with keen interest. It’s nice to feel one isn’t forgotten. "Broadcasting was just getting under way at this time, and I had an audition and discovered that my voice recorded rather well. Most of the time I did ‘commercials’ for the ZB stations, signature

tunes for the opening of new stations or sessions. I remember what a thrill I used to get from walking along the main street and hearing my voice coming at me from various shops and houses. : "Yes, and I was getting one or two odd engagements as violinist. I played for some months in a theatre lounge and after that in a well-known Wellington hotel. That was fun. I met all sorts of people. There’s one thing about being a musician of any kind-you can never stop learning; you’ve got to go on . "Where will you go on to? England?" "No, I think perhaps America. But that will have to be some time in the future. Meanwhile I’ve still a lot to learn here. And I’m getting a lot of

enjoyment out of life. Until I started talking about it I hadn’t realised what a colourful and exciting life I’ve had. There’s always something fresh happening. I’ve played almost everywhere from Government House to Somes Island. And I think I’ve provided incidental music for every kind of ceremony except a funeral (I was up at Featherston only the other day playing for a christening). And I make enough out of my music to. keep myself in reasonable comfort. Of course in our sort of life it’s either a feast or a famine, but whenever the bank balance is getting low and I think I'll have to get some sort of regular job something else turns up. And I’d hate to have to know exactly what’s going to

happen each day."

M.

I.