THE COMPETITIONS

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 56, 3 September 1936, Page 11

THE COMPETITIONS

EIGHT CHURCH CHOIRS

MASSED ANTHEM TONIGHT

Eight church choirs and four male voice octets will combine to make tonight's Town Hall concert of the Wellington Competitions Society largely a choral one. The choirs, each of from fifteen to thirty ; voices, will in succession sing the test anthem "Fierce Was the Wild Billow" and three verses from any standard hymn. Their items will last from 8 o'clock until 9.20; and will be followed immediately by one of the most impressive demonstration items at ■the competitions, the singing of the anthem by the massed choirs under the conductorship of Mr. F. A. Bullock, the judge, and accompanied on the Town Hall organ by Mr. Clem Howe, one of the society's official accompanists..: The competing choirs are St. John's Presbyterian Church Choir, Wellington (choirmaster, Mr. L. Haggitt); Petone Methodist Choir,' Petone (conductor Mr. F. A. Bryant).; St. Stephen's Choir, Lower Hutt (conductor, Mr. O. Dyer); Korongata Maori Choir, Hastings (conductor, Mr. J. Bewley); Kent Terrace Presbyterian Church Choir, .Wellington (conductor, Mr. W. Billington); Petone Baptist Choir, Petone; St. Augustine's Choir, Petone (conductor, Miss F. E. Hobbs); and Hataitai Methodist Choir, Hataitai (conductor, ; Mr. W.< Brunt). ■■■■'."■■ After the choir -contest four male voice octets will each sing their own selection in another new competitive class. The entrants are Messrs. V. R. Bennett, E. L. Howe, F. H. Skinner, E. L. Howe, B. O. Stokes, J. Downes, K. Strong, C. W. Svensen,. Wellington; | Octet from "The Circassians," Wellington; Hataitai Methodist Choir. Octet, Hataitai; and the Korongata Maori Choir Octet, Hastings. Dancing and elocutionary items will make up the rest of tonight's programme. The competitive side of the festival will be concluded tomorrow. In the morning in the Town Hall the classes will be for a jig, under 9, and an Irish hornpipe, under 16. In the afternoon there will be taken the tap dance (12-14) and the Highland fling, under 9. The morning programme in the Concert Chamber will comprise' the boys' junior test recital (under 12), the boys' non-humorous recital in character (12-16), and the boys' humorous recital in character, under 12. In the afternoon there will be heard the vocal solo and accompaniment, the men's vocal solo by a New Zealand composer, and a restricted class for a baritone or solo. The women's operatic solo will be heard in the Concert Chamber in the evening. The only class in the Blue Triangle Hall tomorrow will be for the "Katherine Mansfield" recitation, starting at 2 p.m., '. ~--,-,: FURTHER RESULTS. Placings are.. as • .follows:—' . ■' ECCENTRIC DANCE, open, 'classic '■■:. '■ ' ' ■': ' "•"■'.<&.iefitf'ie's,). .•■-■•' . -.- ■ \fj:;: Miss; Heather Wright,' Lower Hutt,' : : :? ■ '90. \';-:'........... -~.:;■;:.... iv'-v^i:' Miss Esme Chalk,'.Wellingtonv 86;,.;.,2.. Very;; .highly' ■ commended: i;; Miss Audree Daniels, Wellington; .Miss-Lila ScotV Wellington. , V-.:; ':' ■. .' '"; A' Highly commended: Miss Vivienne Platt, Lower Hutt. . "This was a good class with some very amusing and well thought out dances," said Miss Peggy Holmes. "The winner danced very well and her movements were excellent. The competitor placed second gave an amusing, performance with the character well sustained." - .- HORNPIPE, under 12. . (35 Entries).' ' Peggy - Tovey, .Miramar, 88 1 Edna ■ Whitelaw, Miramar, 85 ... 2 Very Highly Commended.—Meta MeKenna, Wellington; Edna Maye, Paki Paki. ■ Highly Commended.—Joan McDonald, Christchurch; Judy Cooper, Wellington. ■,'■'. In this class, said Miss Gladys Smyth, there was some splendid interpretation, which was much better than in the older classes. The competitors all seemed to enjoy their dancing and got the right spirit into the dance. HIGHLAND FLING, 9 and under 12 ■' ".-■ (26 Entries). Meta McKenna, Wellington, 87 .'.. 1 Edna Maye, Paki Paki, 86 2 Very - Highly Commended.—Peggy Tovey, Miramar; Edna Whitelaw, Miramar. Highly Commended.—Judy Cooper, Wellington; Nancy Mac Donald, Lyall Bay. .-■.-. • Very good technique was shown by the winners in this class, said Miss Smyth, and quite a lot of talent was shown. GIRLS' JUNIOR TEST RECITAL, under ,12 - (35 Entries). Cavel Trask, Lower Hutt, 96 1 Jean Rimmer, Wallaceville, 90 ... 2 Very Highly Commended.—Valeric A. Russell, Karori; Laureen Evans, Hataitai. ' ' • ~ ,„., Highly Commended.—Beryl McMillan, Wellington; Beryl Richardson, Johnsonville; Joyce Leek/ Wellington; June Tierney, Brooklyn; Paddy Turner, Masferton. ■ . ■ ; -"The winner gave the most outstanding and moving performance that I have witnessed at these competitions." said Mrs. E. Ransom-Myers. "Her work was full of colour and dramatic expression. Although the piece was quite familiar to me. I must confess to being very emotionally affected by this girl's rendering of it." GIRLS' NON-HUMOROUS RECITATION IN CHARACTER. 12 and .under 16 (29 entries). Rita Cass, Island Bay, 107 1 Colleen Walling, ■ Kelburn, and Ngaire Carver, Wellington, each 105, equal 2 Very highly commended: Jean Ivin. Wellington; Gwen McDonald, Brooklyn, Una Weller, Miramar; Edna Gorrie, Mangaroa; Elaine Weeber, Wellington; Violet Compton, Kilbirnie. ■ Highly commended: Patricia Trower, Miramar; Clarice Neilsen, Petone; Joan Kay wood, Kelburn; Joyce R. Guyton, Wellington. ■An interesting class with a wide variety of work, commented' Mr. W. Russell-Wood. Lack of suppressed emotion and dramatic intensity was the chief fault. For the most part the sketches were well arranged and dressed. Make-up was patchy in some cases, and-, artistic detail lacking. The winner's effort was spontaneous and charming and her setting was good. The competitors placed second were talented girls and did well.