A full life

Press, 29 August 1980, Page 11

A full life

rListening ---

Bom in Christchurch, Gytha Hardy, attended art school. After graduating she went to America, where she devoted much of her time to her art before moving to China, where she worked for the British Diplomatic Corps. Then at the time of the Blitz, she went to London to work for the 8.8. C. As an educational broadcaster ' she travelled for ' the 8.8. C. to Singapore and Africa helping the local people to develop their own broadcasting services. In Tenerife, she met her husband and they both

boarded the ship Lakonia, which caught fire and sank during their voyage. Gytha Hardy survived, and now lives in Christchurch. Tomorrow on “Spectrum” she can be heard talking with Alwyn Owen about her life. National programme, 9.15 p.m. tomorrow. Swiss pianist The noted Swiss-born pianist, Alfred Cortot, who died in 1962, can be heard on tomorrow’s Concert programme at 7.14 p.m. in a recording he made in 1935. On this historic recording Cortot plays Schumann’s short dance pieces, Papillons Op 2. ‘Scrapbook’

“Saturday Scrapbook” tomorrow will as usual' have Graeme Thomson as host on the National programme at 7.30 p.m. Included in the three-and-a-half hour programme are listeners’ requests and an excerpt from “Beyond Our Ken,” a popular 8.8. C. radio comedy series from the past. Also in tomorrow’s programme is a short feature programme entitled “Bells of New Zealand” which was written and presented by a retired Nelson fanner Bill Stuart. In 1907, when he moved to Brooksdale station in Tapanui, Bill Stuart first became inter-

ested in bells. The station had a bell, and this kindled interest. A visit to Queenstown years later renewed his interest. Since then he has travelled extensively thoughout New Zealand and written the histories of 250 bells. “Bells of New Zealand,” a six-part series which will feature on the National programme is the result of his efforts.

Youth orchestra The National Youth Orchestra has been in rehearsal in the last week for its annual concerts and tomorrow can be heard in a live concert from the Wellington Town Hall under a visiting conductor, Uri Segal. This ensemble of New Zealand’s most talented . young instrumentalists present a demanding programme which opens with the Beethoven Leonore No. 3 Overture. They then present a New Zealand work, the Episodes for String Orchestra by a Christchurch composer, Chloe Moon. Ms Moon is a lecturer in ■ music at Canterbury University,.

and this work of hers was first performed there last year. The soloist in the Hummel Trumpet Concerto in E. is Grant Cooper, a mathematician turned musician who has trained in the United States and who is at present principal trumpet with the Tulsa Philharmonic in Oklahoma. This is a return to New Zealand National Youth Orchestra for Grant Cooper; he was the orchestra’s principal trumpet player from 1973 to 1975. The programme concludes with Stravinsky’s Petroushka Ballet music. Concert programme, 8 p.m. tomorrow.