Schools’ music festival

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32736, 13 October 1971, Page 18

Schools’ music festival

This area festival concert given in the hall of Burnside High School last evening began with the combined junior choirs of Roydvale and Merrin Schools singing under the direction of Mrs M. Whiting and with Mrs D. Reid playing the accompaniments. The children sang with excellent discipline and kept in tune. They gave lively performances of three songs—two of which would do nothing for their musical advancement.

“The Yellow Rose of Texas,” sung by Merrin Junior Choir with the same director and accompanist also had a very restricted range and little merit as a song for children. “Blow the Man Down” and “The Old Woman’s Courtship” were much better fare. The children’s enunciation was very good. Elmwood Orchestra, conducted by Mr John Cornish, played with commendable rhythm and precision. The first two pieces were an Indian and a Chinese melody, and were successful pieces, for the intonation gave a certain oriental atmospheric verisimilitude. Lehar did not fare quite so well, but the children’s efforts were praiseworthy indeed. The Bumside High School Third Form Choir, conducted by Miss Wendy Marks and accompanied by Jennifer McLean, sang the old folk song “O Waly Waly," one of the loveliest of folk songs, but the counter melodies overweighted the melody itself. Christ the King Parish School Choir, conducted by Mrs Beryl Cohen, sang a Czech, an Italian, and a Spanish folk song. These were very good songs but the choir’s intonation was faulty. The children sang with rhythmic grip. Elmwood Choir, conducted bv Miss H. Daly, sang very charmingly in “The Shepherd" and in “Tales from the Vienna Woods.” In

intonation, rhythm, and in expression they reached a very good standard. Miss M. Andrews was a helpful accompanist. Westbum Orchestra, conducted by Mr D. Falcon, played a Slavonic Dance by Beethoven, a Haydn Serenade,! and a march by Prokofieff, all arranged by Mr Falcon. Except in intonation the playing was very commendable.

The Merrin Senior Choir, conducted by Mrs E. Dickson and accompanied by Mrs D. Reid, sang with pleasant if rather lighter tone than their useful songs needed. Enunciation was good but intonation was sometimes a problem.

Cottesmore College Choir, under the direction of Sister M. R. Bown and accompanied by Halina Coates, sang a Swiss folk song and Beethoven’s “To Thee O Lord” with charming tone produced with exemplary ease.

Westbum Choir, conducted by Mr D. Falcon and accompanied by Mrs J. Spence, also reached a praiseworthy standard of performance in tone, enunciation and expression in an attractive programme arranged by Mr Falcon.

The Combined Intermediate and High School Choirs, conducted by Mr D. Falcon, and accompanied by Diane Munro, sang with attractive freshness of tone and with rhythmic vitality. The massed choirs were conducted by Mr V. E. Ellena and accompanied by Diane Munro in “Kalinda”, a Russian traditional song, “Zitti Zitti” by Mozart, and the “Chorus of the Jewish Slaves” by Verdi, with strength of tone and strong cohesion.

At this evening’s concert Cobham, Avonhead, Bumside Primary, Kendal, Heaton Street, and Bumside High School will provide the programme. —■C.F.B. ♦