The Royal Auckland Choir

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 6, 21 August 1931, Page 8

The Royal Auckland Choir

Long Record of Popular . Activity

(By-

Call Up

HE Royal Auckland Choir, composed of male voices entirely and formerly known as the Auckland Liedertafel, has enjoyed a lengthy period, of popular and successful activity, haying been formed in 1892. In that year Mr. Gilbert King, manager of the Bank of New South Wales, called a meeting for the purpose of forming an Auch land Liedertafel, and a good attendance resulted. Mr. Arthur Towsey was elected conductor, and held this position until he left Auckland in 1905. The first rehearsal was held in the studio of Mr. Frank Wright, the wellknown New Zealand artist, where the members stood or sat among easels, paint, and ‘palettes, which, in the words of the conductor, certainly "lent colour to the meeting." At that early stage of the choir’s career music was scarce and some difficulty was experienced in providing copies of full scores, Since its inception the choir has explored the whole gamut of part-singing -every composer of note from 1600 onward having been drawn upon, ee is an unwritten rule that at least four | works out of eight should be new at( each concert, and a work ‘must have been performed at least four years ago to be selected for a new programme. It will thus be seen that a tremendous field is necessarily covered and that it is no easy task arranging the programmes, y . After the late Mr. Arthur Towsey’s resignation from the conductorship, Alfred Hill took the baton for a short time, and then he was succeeded by Dr. W. H. Thomas, Mus. Doc., Oxon., who has continued to hold the position ever since-a period .of twenty-six years. The choir has been singularly fortunate in having such able ‘conductors to assist it throughout its career. There are at present just over eighty performing members, five of whom are original members. and several others}of whom have over thirty years’ sertze with the choir to their credit. Three concerts are given each year, and these are now broadcast, the second of the 1931 series being heard over the air on August 20. The patron of the Royal Auckland Choir is his Excellency the Governo?General, and the office-holders are: Mr. J. ¥. Ewen, president; Mr. B. HL Coltman, secretary; and Mr. Cyril Towsey, accompanist. . : ‘