MISS RONA THOMSON'S PUPILS

Evening Star, Issue 20981, 21 December 1931, Page 12

MISS RONA THOMSON'S PUPILS

A warmly enthusiastic audience gathered in the Bristol concert chamber on Saturday evening to listen to a unique programme i presented by young jieople who are studying under the direction of Miss Ilona Thomson, L.A.8., F.T.C.L. They were rewarded by playing which was most refreshing in its individuality and expression. Those are cardinal virtues. All are familiar with the student who can rattle off a piece of music note perfect, but who fails utterly to catch the atmosphere of the composition. Great artists slip notes at times and have lapses of memory, but one realises that they are still great and the lapse was but an accident, and, moreover, they are experienced and clever enough to hide their mistakes from any but the expert—while the boy making a first appearance, if ho slips a note, will with all his boyish thoroughness go back for that note, thereby accentuating the slip. These slight slips are the small things of art, and in every pupil brought forward by Miss Thomson on Saturday evening there was an obvious wider vision of the composition than is usual in such youthful players. The audience listened to thoughtful playing of Beethoven, with beautiful tone and expression; to Chopin which, in the middle section of the G flat waltz was true to tradition; to Grieg, with his flights of fancy; to Scarlatti and Poldini, with all their lightness and deftness quaintly naive; and to quite a lot of old English music. How very delightful t' is music of Giles Farnaby, Purcell, Blow, and Arno is, and how very charming it was to see these British children playing it so daintily 400 years after its composition. Another feature was the playing of the boys. They seemed to enjoy their part as" much as girls, and one duct was a perfect gem of precision and rhythm. The same may be said of the duet from Tschaikowsky ’ s ‘ Nutcracker Suite ’; it was excellently played. Mention should be made of the percussion band, which was a very popular item with the audience. It is an ideal way of teaching children time and rhythm, and they clearly demonstrated this by the accuracy of their work. In speaking to the audience before the concert Miss Thom.on spoke wisely about examinations and general practice. That the teacher believe? in drawing music out of a child and developing it, rather than drivingit into the poor unfortunate, was evidenced in all her remarks and in the work of her pupils. In each case the individuality of the player was preserved and the music chosen admirably adapted to the general mentality and stage of development. If one required a demonstration of the value of this insight it was only necessary to take"'the pupil who played the gavotte from Arne’s ‘No. 5 Sonata.’ It was charmingly played ; indeed, so well that she would be well advised to feature the study of such dainty works. W ell-developed technique plus musical vision are the two things necessary to make interesting players, and Miss Thomson is to be congratulated upon produ.ing so many young students who are developed in both these clop rtments of the art, and who in addition are developing a very graceful style at the piano. Following were the pupils who took part in the entertainment; Misses Kathleen Allan, Eva Webb, Grace Johnstone, Jean Manson, Kathleen Steel, Dorothy Rush, June Pearson, Alma Thomson, Tasma Woodward, Ohvyn Belcher, Jean Hesselin, Phyllis Manson. Esina Woodward, Joyed Greig, and Githa Frye, and Tom Manson, Leslie Morton, Alan Houston, Murray Breen, and Len. Turner.