Will and Paavo Sir: I read in your edition of
May 6 that Will Waspe is disturbed by this Society's appointment of Mr Paavo Berglund. It is clear that the whispers reaching Waspe have not fully acquainted him with the whole of the circumstances.
Titles (for conductors or others) are only words. Much more important is the actual contribution of the person concerned. Mr Berglund himself has said that he is very honoured to join the allBritish team comprising Mr George Hurst, Mr Rudolf Schwarz and Mr Kenneth Montgomery, who regularly work for this Society. Will Waspe, too, may care to know that the appointment was not made until our musicians were consulted — and the decision was unanimous.
I think the record of this Society
and its predecessor, the Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra, in providing opportunities and making the work of British artists known throughout the world is almost without parallel. I trust, however, he will forgive us for having appointed two foreign orchestral musicians to lead sections in the Symphony Orchestra, as our only excuse is that, after advertising nationally and auditioning all applicants, they were proved to be the best.
Finally, with regard to our apparent "frequent lamentations over the inadequacy of the subsidy" we receive from the Arts Council, I think he is confusing this with our statements that local authority subsidy — by comparison with Arts Council — was inadequate. We are very pleased to learn, nevertheless, that despite our inadequacies and possibly mistaken policies, we are "one of the most highly regarded of our provincial bands," Kenneth Matchett General Manager and Secretary, Western Orchestral Society Ltd, Westover Mansions, Gorvis Place, Bournemouth
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