THE COMPETITIONS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 49, 26 August 1938, Page 11

THE COMPETITIONS

SIXTH DAY'S WORK

MORE ARIAS TONIGHT

Continued progress was made in the judging of large classes at today's sessions of the Wellington Competitions Society's annual festival, which is now in its sixth day and nearing the end of the first of its two weeks in the Town Hall, Concert Chamber and Blue Triangle Hall. The most important class this morning was that for the society's elocution scholarship for the best boy or girl between 12 and 16 years. There were 39 competitors on the programme in that class. The result of the radio voice test, held at 2YA studios earlier in the week, was announced this afternoon. Men competitors filled the first three places. The last group of ten competitors in the grand opera aria section, first prize in which is a trip to Ballarat and Melbourne, will sing at. tonight's variety concert in the Town Hall, after which the Judge, Mr. J. T. Leech, of Dunedin, will announce the four to sing in the final tomorrow night. Tonight's singers will be Miss Isabelle M. Graham, of Woodville; Miss Marie Campbell, of Timaru; Miss Gwen Meachen, of Wellington; Mr. C. Sherriffs, of Longburn; Miss Reta Stone, of Wellington; Miss Gwenneth Greenwood, of New Plymouth; Mr. Adrian Rowe, of Rongotea; Miss Margaret D. Feist, of Palmerston North; Miss Jean McLeod, of Cambridge; and Miss Una Thomas, of Wellington. The usual bright mixture of dancing, elocutionary, popular vocal and humorous items will comprise the rest of the programme at the Town Hall. It will be preceded at 6.45 p.m. by the first group of competitors in the class for the tap dance (over 16). Four competitive classes will be decided in the Concert Chamber tonight. They will be the bass test solo, the vocal trio, the musical monologue, and the men's humorous recitation. Tomorrow morning's, classes in the Town Hall will be for the clog dance (9-12), the operatic dance (8-10), and the poetic or classic barefoot dance (12-14). In the afternoon the first children's matinee concert of this year's festival will be presented. The items will be by the cream of the week's talent, and performances in the various classes so far have indicated that the demonstration programmes, beginning with that to be presented tomorrow afternoon, will equal if not exceed in quality those of previous festivals. In the Concert Chamber tomorrow morning the classes will be for the national song (under 16) and the duet in character (under 16). Three important classes will be heard in the Concert Chamber in the afternoon— for the Chappell solo for all voices, the Hamilton Dickson vocal scholarship, and the men's folk or national song. The Blue Triangle. Hall programme tomorrow morning consists of classes for the girls'' recitation (14-16), and the boys' recitation (under 9). The two Shakespearean recital classes, for men and women respectively, will occupy the afternoon. LIST OF RESULTS. Details of classes judged today are as follows: — ■ SONG IN CHARACTER, boy or girl, 12 to 16 years, own selection. (28 entries.) Shirley Austin-Turtle (Wellington), 90 ............ ........ 1 Shirley Boardman (Napier), 89 .. 2 Alison Connell (Hataitai), 88 3 Very highly commended: Shirley Wilson (Wellington), Jeffrey Stewart (Island Bay), Alexander Grant (Wellington), Kemp Erikson (Wellington). Highly commended: Judy Cooper (Wellington), Nona Hood (Roseneath), Ashley Couper (Wellington), Pamela Scantlebury (Wellington). Mr. Leech said he could enthuse with absolute justification over this very fine section. The originality of choice, care in preparation, and cleverness in presentation were tributes to the initiative of the teachers and the artistry of the performers. The winner sang "Long, Long Ago." She was correct, in costume and made the most of gestures, while her facial expression was mobile and helped the story along. The unaccompanied singing was very pretty and dead on pitch. It was altogether a beautiful presentation. The second-placed young lady sang "Mozart's "Cradle Song" exquisitely, creating an atmosphere that was impressive. SKIPPING DANCE, 10 to 12 years. (29 entries.) Recalls: Valeric Holder (Lower Hutt) and Joy Smith (Kilbirnie). Doreen Dickinson (Wellington), 77 3 Very highly commended: Vernice Aston (Brooklyn), Beryl Richardson (Johnson ville). Highly commended: Coila Barrowman (Palmerston North), Valeric Jackman (Wellington), Yvonne Algar (Brooklyn), Pauline Boocock (Island Commended: Joan Sargent (Wellington), Pauline McKenzie (Nelson). On the whole this class was not very good, said Miss Vaughan. The foundation was there but expression was lacking and too many of the competitors tripped. , HORNPIPE, under 12. (34 entries.) Coila Barrowman (Palmerston North), 69 * Edna Maye (Paki Paki) ,67 2 Betty Ford (Lower Hutt) ,66 3 Very highly commended: Alistair McLeod (Island Bay), Merle McClymont (Wellington), Keith Wills-Johnson (Wellington). Highly commended: Etta Banks (Nelson). Commended: Nancye Conway (Longburn), Joy Thear (Hastings). RADIO VOICE TEST, At 2YA studios, I 16 to 21 years. (18 entries.) Mr. Richard Burgess (Lower Hutt) 1 Mr. Donald Davies (Hastings) .. 2 Mr. G. Hooper (Kelburn) 3 Highly commended: Miss Vivian Violich (Wellington).