Schools’ Music Festival Ends On High Level

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31504, 19 October 1967, Page 18

Schools’ Music Festival Ends On High Level

The Primary Schools’ Music Festival ended its series of six concerts in the Civic Theatre last evening with pupils from Bamford, Beckenham, Chisnallwood, Linwood Intermediate, Marshland, Middleton Grange, Russley, St Martins, Spreydon and Woolston schools forming the massed choir which sang with flexibility, vivacity, well-con-trolled tone and expression, and confident precision. The children can be sure that their work greatly pleased the audience which filled the theatre, and that they ended the festival on a high level of attainment

The steady improvement in the singing of the massed choirs over the last few years has been unmiistakeable. There has been an improvement also in most of the work presented by the individual schools—particularly in keeping in tune. Items have been chosen with more careful regard for what is reasonably within the bounds of possiNe success, and there has also been a raising of worthwhile musical levels. All the work of the teachers, those who have had their moments of limelight when their children performed under their direction on the stage, and those who have iust worked faithfully in the long time of preparation in the schools, should feel that the undoubted success of the festival has rewarded their unremitting efforts. Mr Keith Newson, the dir-

ector of the festival, whose conducting each evening has inspired the children and given them the necessary confidence to surmount with ease the technical problems, seemed just as fresh as he was on the first evening of the festival and brought off interesting and delighting performances. Mr Gordon Mathieson, the assistant director and organ accompanist for the choirs, again conducted three items and played the organ with excellently chosen registration. Mr Charles Martin played the piano accompaniments with a liveliness of tone and of rhythm that gave great support and enjoyment. The conductors of items by individual schools were: Mr M. C. White, Mr D. W. Brown, Mr B. R. Hansen, Miss J. L. Francois, Miss B. T. Collins, Miss E. Lightfoot, Mr B. M. Gard’ner, Mr G. M. Cox, and Miss R. M. McConnell.

Much of the success of these items depends on having good accompanists and Mr R. G. Atkinson, Miss W. White, Mrs D. Erikson, Mrs R. Moore, and Mrs G. T. Best all served the children and the conductors very well. Gratitude must be expressed to all those officials of the Festival Association whose organising work smoothed the paths of the children and of the conductors and gave them a clear way in which to do their good work throughout the week. —C. F. B.