Music Society Strikes Out

Earlier this year I sat on the enrolment desk of the VUW Music Society, providing information about the society and taking annual subscriptions. I was a little peturbed when a few 1975 members declined to join up again on the grounds that the Music Society had done nothing for them.

Last year the Music Society was pretty active This year though, the activity has trebled. For example, this year for the first time we are organising regular lunch-time concerts (Wednesday 1.10pm in the Music Room) with student performers. These concerts are free, with varied and interesting programmes. Yet to date, the average audience numbers about 6 to 8 people (including the performers).

Once a month we provide an evening concert, featuring a Wellington professional musician, and some of the best student performances. These evenings are quite informal concerts of a very high standard, with coffee (or wine) and cheese and biscuits to follow. There is a small admission fee (with members discount) to cover cost, yet rarely ever do we brake even. The largest audience I have counted this year is 24.

Advertising for all of our concern is extensive (though Salient doesn't always remember to print our ads), and it is done through hours of voluntary work by committee members (with help from printing press and poster paints), so we doubt it is the publicity that is at fault.

It seems to me that when people joined this society in March (and we have approx. 120 members on our mailing list), it was because they saw value in the work we were doing. No doubt these same people go to concerts in town and applaud furiously when the professional musicians walk out onto the platform. Do they ever stop to consider where these musicians acquire their performing experience?

A sizeable proportion of our student performers are aiming for that same professional platform, and many are now at a stage where they need the performing experience required to overcome the difficulties of playing before what should be sympathetic though critical audiences. So where are they?

All it really requires is a little effort from those on the listening end to get up and help their contemporaries to make the grade to replace the ever transient flow of professional musicians to and from NZ. Let any 1976 Musoc members come to me at the end of the year and ask what the Music Society has done for them, and he prepared to defend themselves, for I shall be ready to do battle!

K Culliford (Musoc Concert Organiser). ps We have an operatic production (The Dragon of Wartley) coming up in June. I shall observe the audience attendance with interest.