N.Z. Music Society In London

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27499, 5 November 1954, Page 3

N.Z. Music Society In London

(From the London Correspondent ol “The Press") LONDON, October 8. The New Zealand Music Society held the first concert of its 1954-55 season at the Arts Council’s headquarters this week. The programme was introduced by the chairman, Mr Andrew Gold, who also paid a tribute during the evening to the work of the secretary, Pamela Ballard, of Wellington, who returns to ?New Zealand in two weeks’ time..

Cecille Davies (Mrs Max Saunders) presented Miss Ballard with a sheaf of flowers. Godfrey Tifien, the Gisborne bassbaritone, opened the programme with operatic arias by Verdi, Meyerbeer and Puccini. Leslie Atkinson, whose home is in Westport, was his accompanist Marjorie Alexander, the Christchurch pianist, played a Ravel sonatina, and works by Albeniz, Granados' and Khatchaturian. Pamela Ballard (soprano), Cecille Davies (contralto), Andrew Gold (tenor) and Godfrey Tiffen (bass), with Marjorie Alexander and Leslie Atkinson at the. piano, gave a selection from the Brahms Liebeslieder Walzer op. 52, and the programme ended with a group of songs by Poulene, Faure, Hahn, Bantock and Parry, sung by Miss Ballard with Mr Atkinson as her accompanist The audience included Major--1 General and Mrs W. |G. Stevens and a number of musicians who have recently arrived from New Zealand