Cashmere High School Gives Praiseworthy Concert

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30216, 22 August 1963, Page 16

Cashmere High School Gives Praiseworthy Concert

Pupils of Cashmere Higfh School, in their new hall last evening, gave a concert which showed to advantage the many-sided musical activities of the school. The special girls’ choir made an immediate and highly favourable impression with their bright and vital tone so free from the breathy sound so often made by their age group. It was free, unforced, and with plenty of character, and the partsinging was clear and in tune. The school band produced good tone and has a good line of leaders in the carnet players. “March for a Festival" was played with snap. The hymn tune “Sine Nomine” was played with steady legato and a pleasing blend. The players of some of the tower instruments must strive to avoid inaccuracies. The German Choir, conducted by Helen Watson, sang with careful attention to words and to phrasing. The Treble Boys’ choir is to be congratulated upon the even and mellow tone produced and upon its careful attention to detail. The sing-

ing was neait and lively, and showed musical awareness.

The Military Band played “March On” by Chenette with precision, snap, and balance. The tone was good and the rhythm effective. After a somewhat sour start, the “Knightsbridge March” came off quite well. Lynn Steedman showed considerable promise as a pianist in her playing of Liszt's “Gnomenreigen.” The school orchestra, quite a large one, began the second half of the programme with two cleverly arranged versions of the “Hymn of Joy” theme from Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and the March from Brahms’s First Symphony, For the most part, intonation was good and the tone produced was quite praiseworthy. The players kept well together and achieved a satisfactory balance between the various sections of instruments in the Rowley “Miniature Concerto,” with Helen Thomas as an excellent piano soloist, the members of the orchestra deserved high praise for the way in which they kept the vitality of the music while exercising the discretion necessairy in an accompanying body. The boy prefects gave a rousing and well-received performance of “They’re Rioting in Africa,” and a wellbalanced vocal sextet gave beautifully and sensitively balanced performances of “All Through The Night” and “Drink to Me Only.” These had been very carefully prepared and were highly creditable.

A four-part choir did sterling work in “Golden Slumbers" and Stanford’s Jubilate from the Service in B flat.

A French Choir, conducted by Miss A. M. Anderson, sang with efficiency and eclat. The voices were fresh and the singing was efficient in every way. The massed choir sang Dr. Griffiths's arrangements of “There is a Tavern in the Town” and “Heart of Oak” with accuracy and excellent attention to balance and tonal quality, and the concert ended with this choir and the senior orchestra giving a stirring rendering of Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus.” Mr F. E. Dennis, the school’s musical director, conducted all the instrumental items and Mr H. G. Harrison conducted the choral work. Both had complete control of their performers and gave security and confidence to them. The various accompanists did valuable and efficient work. Because of the sensible planning of the stage and through efficient management, the long programme was put through smoothly and without any delays.