Conductor Leaves

New Zealand Listener, Volume 28, Issue 715, 27 March 1953, Page 18

Conductor Leaves

N_ the midst of preparations .| for departure, Michael Bowles, ~ lately conductor of the National Orchestra of the NZBS, paused to look back briefly on the past three years. Many people, he said, considered New Zealand culturally backward, but he thought it normal. "It has its fair share of performers and composers, having regard to the size of its population and the fact that it’s an agric@itural country." ' After three years with the. orchestra, Mr. Bowles was able also to give some impressions of New Zealand audiences. The audience in each centre, he said, had a different character. During the past year, in particular, he had planned prorammes to cater for these differences. hristchurch seemed to require a predominance of -classical works, he said, while Auckland was ready te accept more modern and more exciting music. In between, both geographically and musically, was Wellington. "But on the podium I get a more solid feeling from the Wellington audience," he said. "It is less excitable than Auckland when it is enjoying itself, but it seems to me more experienced." About Dunedin, Mr. Bowles was more reticent. "My impression of its possibilities has been changed by the last Promenade season," he said. "The Dunedin audience may be emerging from one of the rather dull periods that happen in music. It certainly received the Proms well." "I have enjoyed my work with the National Orchestra," concluded Mr. Bowles, "and have been glad to see the progress it has made. I’m sure it will continue to develop and-will bring credit to New Zealand."

According to a statement made last week by the Minister in Charge of Broadcasting, the Hon. R. M. Algie, Mr. Bowles has decided not to accept a new appointment as conductor of the National Orchestra. \