Professional and Amateur Musicians

Radio Record, Volume IV, Issue 39, 10 April 1931, Page 6

Professional and Amateur Musicians

CONSIDHRABLE amount of correspondence has recently appeared in the Auckland morning daily in regard to the musicians performing at 1YA. The point raised is that by giving programmes from amateur musicians and. organisations hardship is being imposed on unemployed professional musicians. The correspondents claim that a first-class band of professional players should be engaged for the station to. replace the bands of amateur organisations and clubs which are now frequently heard. As it is a large number of professional musicians are engaged to play from the station and so also are professional bands. However, the unemployed musicians no doubt have a grievance which at any rate merits consideration, and it is stated that the Professional Musicians’ Union is exerting itself to see what can be done... In conversation with "Call Up" ol the subject, Mr. Harold. Baxter, wellknown Auckland conductor, expressed the opinion that a professional -orchestra must come. Mr. Baxter, who is a professional musician and also conducts for an amateur orchestra, is well qualified to speak on the subject. He stressed the point that now is the ideal time to form an orchestra: of professional players in Auckland. Before the advent of the talking pictures the amateurs were. keeping good music going, but music was, on the whole, in a poor olight. As soon as an amateur showed varticular talent he was engaged by a theatre orchestra and became a sort of pseudo-professional content to play the cheap music of the cinemas. Consequently the theatres had the cream of players playing inferior music while the amateur orchestras had less talented players playing good music. Now that so many former professional musicians are unemployed there is an unprecedented chance to form a firstclass professional orchestra to play the best music. The excellent work done by Mr. I. de Mauny and his orchestra in Wellington was instanced bv Mr. Baxter as a worthy example to be followed in Auckland. Unfortunately, although many unemployed musicians are longing to play for sheer pleasure, necessity prevents them from doing so without fee. Let them begin to play, form an ozchestra, and as soon as they become known they can be assured of public appreciation and support. So far as 1YA goes no reflection is cast upon orchestras or musicians at present performing there. The octet is recognised as excellent, but after all it is only an octet. The amateur orchestras are undoubtedly good for amateurs, but it is generally agreed that the professional standard would be higher. Mr. Len: Barnes, station director at 1YA, states that he has heard nothing official in regard to the matter. The station wants the best available whether it be amateur or professional,