QUEEN AT CONCERT

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30059, 18 February 1963, Page 12

QUEEN AT CONCERT

Praise For Choirs

The singing of the National Anthem by the combined choirs of the Royal Christchurch Musical Society and the Christchurch Harmonic Society at the start of the concert in the King Edward Barracks on Saturday evening was “a thrilling sound.” the Queen told the conductor (Mr W. R. Hawkey). Mr Hawkey, the Christchurch Harmonic Society’s conductor, had the combined choirs and the Christchurch Civic Orchestra under his baton for the National Anthem and the following work, “Zadok the Priest”

During this anthem by Handel the Queen nodded her head in time to the music. This work was sung during the anointing ceremony at her Coronation.

The chairman of the Christchurch Civic Music Council (Sir James Hay) Said the Queen was full of praise for the standard of the performance.

“The Duke commented that there must be a great love of music in Christchurch to support two choirs of such standing,” said Sir James Hay.

Mr E. R. Field-Dodgson, the Royal Christchurch Musical Society's conductor, said the Royal couple ‘ had described the whole performance as magnificent “The Queen was very interested to know how many rehearsals it took to produce a major work,” he said.

The Queen also showed a particular interest in the teaching of music at the University of Canterbury during a chat with the conductor of the Christchurch Civic Orchestra (Professor J. Ritehie), who is professor of music at the university. Boeing Lands In Rain The Boeing 707 which is to take the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh to Australia today arrived at Christchurch airport yesterday as heavy rain was falling. The big aircraft swept down through the rainclouds trailing plumes of spray before touching down to make the fastest crossing of the Tasman by a commercial aircraft.