New Musical Society

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 33, 1 March 1929, Page 6

New Musical Society

Symphony Orchestra for W ellington

Broadcasting Arranged For NEW wusical society, to be known as "The Wellington Symphony Orchestra (Incorporated)," has been formed in Wellington. The objects of the society are "to foster and encourage orchestral music, and to inaugurate and hold from, time™ to time orchestral performances in the city of Wellington, or.elsewhere as the executive council shall think fit, aud generally to foster, encourage, and advance the art of music, and the study of orchestral playing." This is stated to be the first symphony orchestra to be formed in New Zealand. The membership stands: at one hundred and fifty, three hundred being the objective. The president (the Hon. R. A. Wright), in a few remarks regarding the aims of the society, said that it should not be difficult to impress music-lovers with the great necessity for a symphony orchestra. They had been charged by musicians from overseas with not being musical. Such a statement, he considered, was not true, for New Zealanders really were musical; but the art needed developing. Another factor in the orchestra's favour was that its concerts would be proadeast, thus giving all New Zealand the benefit of its musical offerings. It was decided to accept and place on record the offer of the Radio Broadcasting Company to allow the orchestra the use of their studio and piano, and to allow the 2YA orchestra to supplement the symphony orchestra. Mr. de Mauny said that he hoped to arrange his programmes on the lines of those symphony concerts presented in London. He outlined various items that he hoped to present, and ‘stated that the proposed dates set aside for the concerts were May 2, August 1, and October 31. At the first concert it was his intention to present Tschaikowsky’s "Pathetic Symphony," the "Casse Noisette’ suite, the "Italian Caprice," the famous "1812" overture, and the Tschaikowsky "Variation for Cello.’ The solo would be played by Mr. Claude Tanner.