FINAL SHOW

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 58, 6 September 1937, Page 5

FINAL SHOW

THE COMPETITIONS PRIZES PRESENTED BY LORD GALWAY Prizes won at the twentieth annual festival of the Wellington Competitions Society were .presented by his Excellency the Governor-General at the final demonstration concert in the Town Hall on Saturday night. On the stage, besides Viscount Galway ,and Sir Standish O'Grady Roche, there were Mr. E. Ransom Myers, president of the Competitions Society, and Mrs. Myers, Mr. and Mrs. Barton Ginger, and Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Martin. Mr. Mjjers said that the society appreciated the continued interest shown by his Excellency in its work. The executive and competitors had just completed a strenuous fortnight and were definitely of the opinion that it was worth while. The executive considered that-the competitions were rendering a useful service to the community by serving as an -exchange market forxultural ideas, to the benefit of all. Thanks to all who had helped in the conduct of the festival were expressed by the president. In the judges, he said the society had.been very fortunate, and the adjudicator of vocal classes particularly deserved the highest, praise for the full and helpful criticisms he had given competitors. Mr. Myers mentioned also the executive and ordinary members of the society, the ladies' auxiliary (a new departure this year), the secretary and his staff, the Town Hall staff, the Corps of Commissionaires, the.general public, who had attended the sessibns, the donors of prizes, and the daily newspapers. ' . ■' ■■■.•■■ . His Excellency spoke of the pleasure it gave him to attend the final concert and-present the prizes. He regretted that Lady Galway was not present, as she took as/much interest as he did in all such cultural work. His first and most pleasant' duty was .to congratulate the organisers of the compete tions on their success and to thank all those who had worked for that'success. He congratulated the winners and hoped that they would develop their artistic talents and as-, the years went on ericourage younger people to carry on the work of the competitions. Good wishes to those competitors who had succeeded and to those who had not were expressed by his Excellency, who added that the competitions were good because they encouraged the talents in the'higher arts. They offered great scope for those with a little more genius than their fellows. His Excellency 'then presented the prizes, and at the conclusion of that ceremony handed to Mr. Myers the Gold Badge of the society. Mrs. Myers was presented with a bouquet by Miss Valeric Simpson. The audience, which almost filled the Town Hall, enjoyed a concert of nearly thirty items, practically all of which were by winners. Every performance was in keeping with the high standard maintained af the festival. RADIO VOCAL CONTEST. Four competitors sang for,the prize of a radio set in the radio vocal solo classes, and the winner was Mr. Alan Pike, of Wanganui, with 90 points. Second place was gained by Miss Daisy Perry, of Christchurch, with 89 points, third place by Mr. K. H. B. Strong, of Wellington, with 88 points, and fourth place by Miss Zena Willis, of Northland, with 87 points. Commenting on the class, the judge, Mr. John T. Leech, said that eightysix vocalists faced the microphone. It was an interesting class and the "mike" did its duty in recording the faults and failings as well as the good points of the i vocalists. "Many forgot that the 'mike' was.alive all the time, and I was treated to exhibitions of breathing that varied from a zephyr to a I cyclone, and, as "an extra, a 1 wide I variety of coughs between performances," said Mr. Leech. "The main fault was the energetic manner in which ibme endeavoured to force the 'mike' off the stand. In most.cases the reception was really good, and those with the best production, good .breath control, poise, and dictional purity won through, riot by what - people think is a special technique .before the microphone but because they supplied what constitutes singing /xeality: that is the only technique—cultured singing." . . ..!