Musical and Dramatic Committee

Radio Record, Volume IV, Issue 1, 18 July 1930, Page 7

Musical and Dramatic Committee

7 Formation in Dunedin A MUSICAL and dramatic advisory committee, to function in cooperation with the executive officers of the Radio Broadcasting Company, was formally constituted at a meeting held in the 4YA studios on Tuesday evening, July 8. Representatives from the leading musical and dramatic organisations were present, Mr. John Ball eing in the chair. 5 , After extending a cordial welcome to those present, Mr. Ball briefly outlined the character and purpose of.the company’s public relations scheme. The value of this scheme, formulated by the general manager, had been eloquently demonstrated by the results which had accrued from the deliberations of the committees, These had been in successful operation at the other centres for some time past. There was an advisory committee for each of the main branches of the broadcasting ser-vice-chureh service, musical and dramatic, children’s sessions, and primary products. Each committee was composed of experts in its particular sphere, rendered honorary servize in a spirit of community service, and exercised a beneficent influence on 4 national service of incalculable value He did not hesitate to say that the influence of the Musical and Dramatic Advisory Committee had already mani-: Lv fested itself in a noticeable improve- * ment in the standard of public taste, with a consequent steadily-growiug appreciation of and demand for the better class of music. That this was a tendency which could not fail to be welcomed by all lovers of good music, and which was.obviously advantageous to the musical profession, searcely ‘needed to be stated. Similarly with regard to the Church and Children’s Sessions Advisory Committees, their work and influence was unquestionably peneficial to the entire community. The meusure of the broadcasting service for good or ill was beyond human estimate. There was no national service, certainly no form of public entertainment, which could so easily be prostituted, because with a force and intimacy peculiar, to itself it broadcast its wares, whether good or bad, into he sacred privacy of the homes of the . On the other hand, no other manmade instrument was so potent for good if only its use was wisely directed and prudently controlled. It was because of this unique character of the service-a service which could not by any stretch of imagination be likened to a merely material commercial enterprise, and which must perforce place the interests of the community above all other considerations-that the directors had not hesitated to solicit the co-operation of responsible citizens in their endeavour to make every feature aie of the service: of maximum yalue to ’ the people. T was then decided that the advisory board should be constituted of the following members :-Messrs. Max Scherek (Dunedin Society of Musicians), G. M. Angus (Anderson’s Bay Glee Club), Himburg (Dunedin Phil-

harmonic Society), A. Cook (Burns Club), H. B. Roberts (Dunedin Strolling Players), F. H. Lampen and R. Wilson-Brown (Dunedin Operatic and Dramatic Society), J. Crossley Clitheroe (Training College), J. G. Butler (Royal Dunedin Male: "Choir), ~- Cornish (Dunedin Choral Society), Dr. Beaglehole (W.H.A.), S..H. Osborn (Shakespeare Club), N. J. Brokenshire ("Bvening Star’), and S. Macdonald ("Otago Daily Times").