SCHOOL MUSIC FESTIVAL

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29942, 2 October 1962, Page 17

SCHOOL MUSIC FESTIVAL

Further Signs Of Success

The Sumner School orchestra and instrumental groups from Linwood Intermediate, Waiimaiiri, Papanui, Quinns Road, and Avonhead schools pdayed in the first half of the primary schools’ festival concert in the Civic Theatre last evening. Quite wide versatility was Shown. The conductors were Mr A. E. Ferris, Miss B. Collins. Miss L. Charlton. Mr R. T. Street, Mr W. Eggleston, and Mr R. Chapman. The second half of the concert was the same as that for Saturday evening, with the four orchestras and the military band of the School of Instrumental Music of the Teachers’ College playing singly and in combination. Once again, the worth of what is being done and its great potential have been clearly demonstrated. From this scheme, several young players have already graduated to the National Youth Orchestra and as a feeding ground for future orchestral developments in Christchurch

and elsewhere this scheme is Of the greatest importance. The large group of children, who had played in the earlier part of the programme, again joined the combined orchestras to give thrilling performances of the same works as on Saturday. It is quite an extraordinary experience to see and to hear well over 400 performers, many very young, play together with such zest and skill. Conditions in the Civic Theatre, never designed tor so many instrumentalists, were fantastically overcrowded; but at the rate Mr Perks’s scheme is growing, it looks as if the new town hall will have to be enlarged before we get it. The many teachers who help in the working of this, training scheme must have been delighted to see, in these two concerts, such rich return for their labours. —C.F.B.