Junior Pupils Sing With Enthusiasm

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31195, 20 October 1966, Page 18

Junior Pupils Sing With Enthusiasm

Last evening's concert in the Civic Theatre was again given by junior pupils, and Addington, Briggston, Christchurch East, Freeville, Linwood Avenue, Linwood North, Paparoa Street, Shirley Primary, and Wainoni schools supplied the large massed choir which sang with verve and charming insouciance under Mr Keith Newson’s expert guidance. Mr Newson has the hapny knack of imparting to the children a relaxed feeling while keeping them under very firm musical discipline manifested in their cohesive singing, good vowel sounds and clean consonants, immediate response in changes of levels of expression, and in rhythmic shaping of the music. He chooses tempi which keep the music alive but also allow for comfortable control of breathing. Furthermore, his gestures always give firm indication of purpose and, therefore, all the children have an assurance about the way they are treading. Mr Gordon Mathieson also got enthusiasm and technical adroitness from the children when he conducted them in two complicated settings of nursery rhymes. His accompaniments on the organ showed refinement in his choice of tonal colours and helpful and clearly marked rhythm. Mr Charles Martin played the piano accompaniments tn a way that added greatly to interest and enjoyment for 1

the audience, and gave the singers decisive leadership and good example in expressive phrasing and contrast in dynamics. All teachers in the schools who have done the preliminary training of the children for this concert and for the others in the festival series must share fully in the credit for the successes achieved by the children. Congratulations must be given to the children, and to those teachers who have been in charge of discipline, on the exemplary stage deportment of the massed ehoirs at all performances. This has added much to the success of each concert and has created very good atmosphere. The rousing choruses, “The Jolly Fanner,” “Jim the Carter Lad,” and the “Railroad Song” all came off with eclat and were sung with bright and pleasing tone. The quieter songs had well controlled, mellow timbre.

The contributions by individual schools were of mixed standard. Several of the choirs lost pitch, mainly because their line of tone was insecurely based for breath control and forward placing of voice. More careful listening to the accompaniments could help here, plus the continual appreciation of the fact that the middle of a note is a very exact spot indeed and must be sought with the greatest care. —C. F. B.