Tedious quality in music festival

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33033, 28 September 1972, Page 18

Tedious quality in music festival

The second night of the Shirley area schools music festival was given last evening to a large and attentive audience in the Shirley Boys’ High School hall. Choirs and instrumental groups from the Burwood, Quinns Road and Shirley primary schools, together with the Shirley Primary folk-dance group, performed a programme of short selections, assisted by Shirley Intermediate and Shirley Boys’ High School groups in the massed items at the end of each half. The form of the programme was similar to Tuesday’s concert and raised the same points concerning interpretation and general performance. Although the format of these festivals gives as many children as possible a chance to perform, it can become rather tedious. If professional criticism is invited — publicity through

newspaper reviews is hardly necessary if the enthusiastic support for this programme is any indication —then there should be careful selection and auditioning by the organising committee. I suggested this after another area festival last year.

The more interesting performances last evening were the massed choir items of the first half (conductor Mr A. A. Hickling), and the Shirley Boys’ High School orchestra “March” (conductor Mr A. B. Robson). These items were lively and pleasing. The organisation and stage management was not particularly smooth. The consequent undisciplined on-stage movement by senior groups before and during some of the items was rather distracting to the audience and affected the performance. —J.M.J.