Good Preparation At Mairehau High School

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31449, 16 August 1967, Page 18

Good Preparation At Mairehau High School

Last evening in their school hall the pupils of Mairehau High School gave their annual concert under the direction of Mr Thomas Brown. All the work showed that preparation had been thorough, and there was no item without its pleasurable interest. The school choir, quite a large one, sang with well-controlled tone and good precision. Commendation must be given to the tenors and basses who produced firm apd clear tone without forcing. The boys* treble choir gave a good account of its training and, when joined by the girls’ choir, sang “Johnny Todd”—the folk song from which the “Z Cars” theme was derived.

The junior girls’ choir sang with an evenly-flowing and

pleasant tone, and the boys’ choir sang with firmness and with rhythmic direction. The school orchestra and the school band both achieved very good results and played with exemplary intonation and attention to phrasing and expression. Two cornet players, Alan Brown and Neville Grenfell, played a duet with excellent technique shown in their smooth tone and good Intonation. Mr Brian Falloon did sterling work as the accompanist for the concert work and for the operetta. He gave confidence and secure support. An operetta, “The Tall Trees,” was delightfully presented and was an ideal production for the school in that it gave opportunity for many to take part, was not too difficult musically, and allowed the boys and girls to be natural in their roles. The whole cast deserves high praise, but special mention must be made of Penny Husband who sang the part of Katie, and of Allison Hedges and Barbara Collins who were the other girls in leading parts. Roger Hutton as Kurt Nurmi, the hero of the story, Dennis Gilmore, as his foreman at the logging camp, Anthony Holden as a homesteader and Owen Rogers as his son were all splendidly cast and gave skilful performances. The operetta was produced by Mr R. G. Shave, and was under the musical direction of Mr Brown whose work throughout the evening showed that the music of Mairehau High School is in most competent hands. The concert will be repeated this evening and on Thursday evening. —C.F.B.