Broadcast of Hawera School Orchestra

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 32, 22 February 1929, Page 7

Broadcast of Hawera School Orchestra

ON Thursday evening, March 7, the broadcast will take the novel form of a concert entirely by school children, These will be pupils from Hawera Main Primary School and Hawera Technical School, who are making a special visit to Wellington to give a concert at the Town Hall. This visit is chiefly the outcome of the interest taken in the Hawera School Orchestra by the ex-Prime Minister, the Hon. J. G. Coates, who was much struck with their playing last year. The orchestra, which numbers over 50, has been trained by Mr. H. GC. A. Fox, conductor of the Hawera Borough Band. It began in 1926 as a school fiute band, but has developed so remarkably under Mr. Fox’s skilful and enthusiastic teaching that it now comprises some 26 violins, together with piccolo, flutes, oboe, clarinets, cornets, horns, althorns, euphoniums, trombone, drums, effects, and piano. In addition to a number of orchestral items there will also be vocal and instrumental solos and recitations, all by the pupils of the two schools. The Technical School pupils are those who have left Hawera Primary School, but

who naturally wish to retain . their membership of the orchestra as long as possible. The orchestra has received the highest praise from Mr. H. Douglas Tayler, Supervisor of Schoo Music to the Education Department, and listeners-in will be assured of @ very happy evening on March 7. It is interesting to note that there are quite a number of school orchestras and bands in the country. One of the best known is the Albany Street School Band, Dunedin, trained by My Hanna, which has enjoyed a reputation for many years past. Mr. Langtry trains an orchestra at Hutt Valley Boys’ High School, and Mr. Dobson at New Plymouth Boys’ High School trains both junior and senior orchestras. In these and other schools Of ganisations of this kind do much strengthen and brighten the corporate life, ‘Percussion Bands" are formed in many infant and junior class rooms, and mouth-organ and fife bands axré not but we are still a goa way behind America in the matter of popularising the school band. Tv broadcast of the Hawera Orchestra, should prove an impetus in the rif direction.