SEVEN CHOIRS’ FESTIVAL

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27736, 13 August 1955, Page 2

SEVEN CHOIRS’ FESTIVAL

PROGRAMME GIVEN AT BURNHAM CAMP . P’t Canterbury seven choirs’ festiSf at X he can >p theatre, Btirnnam Military Camp, on Thursday evening, was the Canterbury University College adult education department’s sixth music festival. It w£s enthuswhi‘/i? Uy r i e< i? i 'J ed b ? a large audience, which included patrons from Christchiwch and many country districts. Mr Lloyd G. Peach, music specialist in the department, conducted all the choirs except toe Bryndwr Ladies’ ,Choii\ which was conducted fcy Mrs Wfoif«d e M S acDtamid OmPtinied by MfS The Burnham Army Trainees Choir (seventeenth intake), whose conductor is Private Douglas Montagu (Hokitika) and accompanist Private Robert Lowe (Nelson), was one of the most popular at the festival. Soloists in the massed choirs numbers were Mrs Jean Cowie (Rakaia) and Mr David Halliday (Lincoln). The accompanist was Mrs Marion Johnson (Burnham). An interesting work sung by the massed choirs was “Let Praise Devote Thy Work,” in four parts, composed by Clare Peach, of Christchurch. Other choirs taking part were the Dunsandel District Choir (conductor, Mr Jack Mackie; accompanist, Mrs Cynthia Wright); the Burnham District Choir (conductor, Corporal Roy Neale; accompanist, Mrs Marion Johnson); Templeton _ District Choir (conductor, Mr Frederick Sanderson; accompanist. Mrs Linda Meyer): Lincoln District Choir (conductor, Mr David Halliday; accompanist, Miss Dorothy Macdonald); Rakaia District Choir (conductor, Mrs Alma Allen; accompanist, Mrs Joan Shannon) Last year only women sang m the Rakaia District Choir, but this year men were included. After the festival the Burnham Camp Commandant (Lieutenant-Colonel F. L. H. Davis) thanked toe adult education department and the choir members. He said it was a fine thing for the community and. in particular, for Army trainees as part of their education. Part of the programme was recorded by 3YA for transmission later in toe Canterbury Roundabout” programme. Messages were received from the Prime Minister (Mr Holland), the Minister of Social Welfare (Mrs Hilda Ross) and Mr R. G. Gerard, M.P., regretting their inability to attend’ the Burnham and Ashburton music festivals.

After Mrs Peach’s composition had been performed, she was presented with a bouquet by the Rev. R. Blair. Camp Chaplain.