Schools’ Festival Of Music Concluded

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31831, 8 November 1968, Page 12

Schools’ Festival Of Music Concluded

The music festival for schools in the Shirley district ended last evening with a concert in the hall of the Shirley Boys’ High School with Quinns Road (Mr G. Thorpe and Mr A. K. Cox), Shirley Intermediate (Mr B. R. Kirton, Miss P. D. Collins) and Burwood (Miss R. Taylor) providing the programme. The children gathered to sing as a massed choir under the direction of Mr G. Thorpe who gave them a well-discip-lined lead in rhythmic life and expression. The words were commendably clear, and the tone was pleasant in quality. Mr R. D. Lye was an efficient and helpful accompanist. There were some most attractive folk-dancing groups, who had been well prepared and went through their fig-

ures with confidence, grace, and obvious enjoyment. The choirs from the individual schools gave thoroughly competent and pleasing performances. Good intonation, vital rhythmic movement and freshness of tonal production were noteworthy features of performance reflecting credit upon the children and upon their teachers.

There were quite a lot of instrumental groups, ranging from junior recorder players to quite ambitious orchestral work. Miss P. D. Collins was in charge of most of it and got very good response from the performers, all of whom showed good basic training. The Shirley Boys’ High School Band, conducted by Mr A. B. Robson, played some items and accompanied the hymn sung by the massed choir. —C. F. B.