THE COMPETITIONS

Evening Post, Issue 50, 27 August 1935, Page 5

THE COMPETITIONS

JUDGE'S COMMENT

NEED FOR CONFIDENCE

BRIGHT CONCERT

.n.' -warning to New Zealanders! Cijainst the developing of an inferiority I 'romnlex in art and music was uttered .'uy Mr. T. Vernon Griffiths, M.A., MusJ3., Cantab., judge of vocal classes at" the Wellington Competitions Society's festival, in a happy speech to 'last night's audience. He prefaced his 'remarks with high praise of the singing .ixe had heard in the two days of the competitions. .

j{ "Can't we have some confidence in .asked Mr. Griffiths. "If ;a perfect stranger, dressed as an Eng; : lishman always dresses himself, with •monocle .and;spats, though, of course, he has .other things as well, comes to •you: and tells you you can talk about and the like but not about music, art, and elocution because you know nothing about it, you know how you would treat him. Yet tonight we ■allow empty chairs to say exactly what "the, foreigner says. . . .What I say i'is, let-us have confidence in ourselves. Our boys and girls and students are doing admirable work, and it's -only because they are New Zealanders ■ that: we look down upon them. ' I'm hot a New Zealander and I don't look down on them. Is it hot time that New Zealanders, and even more so the citizens of Wellington, turned up and supported their own flesh and blood?'"; (Applause.)

'"•.■ Later -in "the evening the society's president, Mr". W. J. Mason, made reference to Mr. Grifiiths's remarks. "I thoroughly; agree- with VMr Griffiths, ' who says, it is a case of a 'prbphet not being ' without honour except in his own country," he said. "We have here entertainment which will compare very favourably with anything else in the world. We want to:encourage our young. performers, and you' can show- your encouragement ■ and /support by" your presence." ' ' '•; fcOLQCKFTJi. ITEMS LAST NIGHT. : ;V list night's ■ large audience (though L Jhere was still rpojh for more) was an '- appreciative one; as one would have expected it to .be ;in view' of the bright fere provided. • V "''■ ':^ '■Seven winners appeared to demon-: strate v their skills They . were 'Mr. Ernest Elliott, Wellington, who sang a ■*■<i2nor 'solo, "Nightfall at ■, Sea"; Frank Sergent,' of Northland,' winner of the boys'song class; Miss Adelaide Prouse, of .Upper Hutt, who sang "Waiata Poi," which 7 she won the ladies' vocal solo (by a New "Zealand composer); Phyllis O'Shea, of Island' Bay, whose number was "At the Shrine of the. Lotus Flower," with which, she wonythe character story dance; Miss Freda Whittaker,-of Pahnerston North, viho kept the house amused with "Eyeryjvoman," the winning item in the ladies' 'humorous recital1 with musical accom-paniment;-Miss Una Thomas, of Brooklyn,, who- sang the Scottish folk song; ''O Can Ye Sew Cushions?"; Len CroJthers, of,-Island Bay,: who reciteS ''Bertram at the Bachelors' Club," ,thie ••winning item in the boys' humorous Recitation'class. ; : < > ? items were performed \by; a ballet in costume, "Russian Frost Time," under 12, froni the Joan Benge School of Dancing, Wellington; an oration by Mr. Wybrans Olphert, of Wellington; a classical dialogue, "Much Ado About Nothing," by Misses Haw■kins and Jean Coker, of Miramar; ten minutes of magic by Mr. Stewart V. Middleton, of Wellington; a song in 'character, "At the- Court of Gay Versailles," by Miss Marjorie Whittington, of-Kelburn; a ballet in costume iby the Hair j orie 'Newport • School of Dancing,

Wellington;- a one-act-play from- "Symphony in Illusion," by the Belfranees Players, Wellington; a ladies' vocal trio, "Pure as the Air," by Misses E. Coulson, K. Sawyer, and D. McKinley; a song and dance, "Isle of Capri," by a team of girls from the studios of Miss Hazel Martin, Wellington; and the operatic contest.' Singers in the operatic contest were Miss Kathleen Montaperto, of Wellington, whose number was • "One Fine Day," from "Madame Butterfly"; Miss Kathleen Sawyer, of Te Horo; who sang "Adieu Forests," from "Jeanne d'Arc"; Mrs. Richard Bradley, of Upper Hutt, who sang "Give Back the Heart"; and Mr. Walter E. Richards, of Wellington, .whose selection was) "Star of Eve," from "Tanhhauser." In the special Navy League recitation on Saturday boys were inadvertently placed first and second. The conditions of the competition were that the winners should be the best boy and the best girl, and they are Len Crothers, of Island Bay, and-Julia Kendrich, of Feilding, -and Mary A. Burgess, of Karori, who -were first, equal, among the girls. • " . Concerning the tenor solo, the result of which appeared.. in yesterday's "Post," the judge, Mr. T. Vernon Griffiths, said that for the class the standard was pleasing, and the candidates deserved all encouragment. Most of them had voices of high enough natural quality to justify continued and even more intensive study. LIST OF PLACINGS. , Results announced after "The Post" went to '■ press yesterday are as follows: — "'■.,'■"'■ ' ! OPERATIC DANCE, 9 and under 12. Section A. ■ ■ ' * -: • ■ ■ ■ .■ i (35 Competitors) Dawn Larsen, ■ Lower Hutt, and Joyce Ryan, Hataitai, each 79, equal - : .1 Phoebe Lawson, Petone, 71 ........ 2 Elaine Montgomery, Wellington, h.c; Bryan Ashbridge, Wellington, h.c. "This was.quite a good section," remarked the judge, Miss Irene Stone, "but generally speaking a little below the standard of work I would like to have seen. The winners were outstanding:" CHARACTER STORY DANCE, 12 and under 14 (15 competitors). Phyllis O'Shea, Island Bay, 82 ..... 1 Zelda Corkhill, Northland, 74 .: . 2 Joyce'Knighton, Karori, v.h.c.; • Judy Lewis, Petone, h.c. "Some of the subjects chosen were quite original,'' remarked the judge, Miss Irene Stone. "The winner did some beautiful work." n LADIES'' OPERATIC SOLO (30 competitors). Mrs. Edith Wiltshire,.Wellington, 89_ 1 Miss Joyce Wilkinson, Christchurch, no O CO <G Miss Kathleen Bond, Lower Hutt, h.c; JMiss' Sybil Phillips, Auckland, h.c; Miss Molly Beveridge, Island Bay, h.c; Miss Truda Young, Palmerston North, h.c; Mrs. Richard Bradley, Upper Hutt, h.c.; Miss; May Hyam, Wellington, c; Mrs. L. Mooney, West Australia, c; Mrs. Greville Wiggs, Karori, c. "I think it was a very, good class indeed," said the judge, Mr. T. Vernon Griffiths/ ,"It reflected high credit on the teachers- concerned," as well as on the candidates.; There was a,variety of style in the works Chosen for the performance,' ; and it was pleasing to see so many candidates choose .works by modern composers'. ! I am noting, however,' that' the otherwise excellent work of some candidates is marred by traces 'of vibrato and tremolo —faults which must be- eradicated." ■ '. MEN'S SACRED SOIiO ■ (14 competitors). Mr. Walter Bentley, Newtown, 92 .. 1 Mr. Alan Pike, Wanganui, 91 . 2 Mr. Edward West, . Christchurch, v.h.c.; Mr.. C. Franklyn-Browne, Wanganui, h.c; Mr. Ray • Trewern, Wellington,.hie; Mr. Leonard J. Hopkins, Wellington, h.a; Mr. Ronald Cowie, Wellington, c; Mr. Thomas McNair, Wellington, c. ' - • "The best"group -up-to.4he>present,"

was how Mr. T. Vernon Griffiths described this section. "The singing of the three highest disclosed a surprising maturity of style. They selected difficult arias which required not only musicianship in- interpretation but also a high technical standard. It is praiseworthy that many Candidates in this section selected songs of real musical significance. For this, one must congratulate not only-the candidates themselves but also their teachers." EECITAL WITH MUSICAL ACCOMPANIMENT, boy or girl, 14 and under 16 (14 competitors). Lan Galloway, Khandallah, 79 1 Kuby Cheyne, Eastbourne, 75 2 Len Crothers,, Island Bay, 74, h.c. GIRLS' HUMOROUS RECITATION, 12 and under -16 (38 competitors). ■■ Joan Kaywood, Wellington, 77 ... 1 Gracie Barnao, Island Bay, 76 2 ; Loris' McEwen, Wellington, h.c.; : Edna Gorrie, Mangaroa, h.c; Marjorie Ede, Ngaio, h.c; Ruby. Cheyne, Eastbourne, h.c. ; DIALOGUE, boys and/or girls, 12 and • under 16, in costume ; (9 couples competing). \ Joyce Webster and Bryce Glennie, [ Lower Hutt, 80 : 1 Clarice Neilson and Betty Burridge, 1 Petone, 78 2 Len Crothers and Gwen McDonald, Island Bay, 75, h.c. ' .GIRLS'RECITATION, under 9 (38 competitors). Vernice E. Aston, Brooklyn, 63 1 Pauline Boocock, Island Bay, 61 ... 2 Joyce Leek, Wellington, v.h.c.; Valeric A. Russell, Karori, v.h.c; Beulah Hirst, Masterton, h.c; Shirley Brundle, Wellington,- h.c; Valmai Cambell, 1 Island Bay, h.c. ] BOYS' HUMOROUS RECITATION, 1 under 12 (21 competitors). i-' Keith Dudson, Wellington, 67 1 :, Murray Todd, Island Bay, 65 ■'.- 2 ' Colin Ashbridge, Wellington, 60, 3 v.h.c; Frank G. Poole, Wellington '■- 59, h.c.