COMPETITIONS FESTIVAL

Evening Star, Issue 22735, 24 August 1937, Page 5

COMPETITIONS FESTIVAL

< BRIGHT AMD VARIED PROGRAMME IMPROMPTU DEBATE HEARD The major theme of last night’s performances given by competitors at the Dunedin Competitions Society’s festival was the impromptu debate which was very much to the audience’s liking, although the element of humour was rather less marked than in previous years. The subject, ‘ls the Present Generation Devoting Too Much Time to Pleasure?’ lent itself to humour, but the debaters preferred to treat it in a somewhat serious view. Also included on last night’s programme was the half-hour entertainment, ‘ Judy’s Dream,’ performed by the Holy Name pupils. The results were : ELOCUTIONARY, Judge: Mrs Zoe Bartley Baxter, NAVY LEAGUE RECITATION, 12 and under 16. Open to juvenile members of the Navy League. The Sea is His ’ (Vernede). Sherla Ferguson, 89 points 1 Beryl Baggs, 87 points .... ... ... 2 Winnie Dowie ■» 3 Highly commended: Bfernard Larsen, Chris. Justin, Leone C. Cornish, Mervyn Fay, Ethne Inga, Jean. A. Ironside. Also competed: Verna Williams, Koa Mundie, Alice Beckingsale, Doreen Angell, Betty Robb (Christchurch), Clarice Arthur, Marie Middleditch (Balclutha), Mary Grant, Edith Wallace, Frances Anthony, Dawn Knowles, M. Harstonge, lona Livingston, Rona Macallan, Shirley Kirkwood, Sheila Caldeir, Christine Wallace, Enid Carter, Ivan Mee, Joan Donaldson, Veronica M'Donnell (Greymouth), Jack Robb, and John Calder. This poem ,was a simple story, said the judge, and the renderings were mainly good, though some of the competitors were inclined to smile too much during their presentation. The winner was advised to watch her vowel sounds. She possessed a natural style, and, the judge considered, with careful training this could be developed into fine dramatic art.

READING AT SIGHT, Boys 12 and

under 16. Mervyn Fay, 79 points 3 Frank Ponton, 75 points 2 Bernard Larsen, 71 points 3 Also competed: Desmond Purvis, John Calder, Jack Robb (Christchurch), Ivan Mee. This was a difficult reading from the point of view of phrasing, said the judge, but most of the competitors shaped well. ELOCUTION SCHOLARSHIP, (a) ‘ The Pied Piper of Hamelin ’ (Browning). This section will be judged in conjunction with pieces of competitors’ own selection to be heard tq-dav-Competed : Misses Alice Clarke, Joyce Ridley, Billie Loan, Colleen M’Lauchlan, Joy Knowles, Lcxie Mathieson, Alma Geddes (Oamaru), Joyce Hamer, Eileen N. Goyen, Nanna Newey, Bridie Fraher, Anzac Patton, Norma Brown, Deslys M'Kenzie, Edith Lunam, Daphne Morrison, Myra M'Kechnie, Mollic MacLeod. Joy Ferens, and Mr Gordon Wilson (Christchurch). IMPROMPTU DEBATE. Judges: Mrs Zoe Bartley Baxter and Dean Cruickshank. Subject, 1 Is the Present Generation Devoting Too Much Time to Pleasure? ' Time limit, 30 minutes. (The name of the competitor taking the affirmative is printed first). Messrs W. J. Meade and K. W. Stewart, 88 points ... ... 1 Messrs P. G. Connelly and M. A. Fraser and J. S. D. More and J. D. Neil, 78J points (equal) ... ... 2 Also competed: Messrs F. P. Evans and Charles N. B. French, D. L. Wood and M. G. O’Callaghan, B. O’Donnell and A. Walker, F. M'Leod and Mrs H. E. Bullen. Dean Cruickshank said he congratulated all the competitors. They were faced with an invidious task, in which they acquitted themselves with credit. He would suggest that had the pairs been chosen differently the results would have been different. A debater was not always happy in his choice of a partner. However, he did not wish those who were not winners to think they were badly beaten. He congratulated them all. INSTRUMENTAL. Judge; Mr Ernest Jenner. PIANO SOLO, 16 and under 18, ‘ First Arabesque ’ (Debussy). Miss Kathleen N. Bell, 91 points 1 Mr Win. R. Clarke, 90 points ... 2 Misses Muriel Mowat and Dorothy J. Clark, 89 points, equal 3 Highly commended: Misses Hope Birt and Molly M'Groyor.' Also competed : Misses Patricia Johnson, Eveleen M‘Evoy, Joan Moody, Ethel Rowlands, Irene Adamson, Joyce Thomson, Mr Lawrence C. Scott. In this class, said the judge, he had been shown some very beautiful keyboard work by all competitors during the day sossion, but despite really nice tone production there was a feeling of dullness apparent in the work. This was caused through the competitors overlooking the necessary movement. The winning competitor performed beautifully, but her work suffered through lack of movement. The second competitor, said the judge, had better rhythm, in spite of his general comments to the contrary, but even so his playing lacked the poetry of feeling. He played in a solid British stylo, and not in the French style, which was a successful rendering of the piece set. PIANO SOLO. 31 and under 12, ‘ Rigadoon ’ (Harold Rutland).— Twenty-one competitors were heard in this section, tho following being recalled :—Lorraine Hoyne and Edith J, Turnbull. These will be heard on Wednesday evening. VOCAL. Judge: Mr Ernest Jenner. VOCAL SOLO, Girls, 12 and under 14, own selection. Joan Delaney, 91 points ... ' 1. June Donaldson, 90 points ... ... 2 Dorothy Mutch (Mo'sgiel)/88,points 3 Very highly commended: Heltn Beavis. Highly commended: Joyce Cameron, Shirley E. Wood, Doreen M. Scott. Also competed: Juno Smith, Dawn Knowles, Do Alton Ross, Betty Knox, Enid Carter, Betty Kennedy, Patricia Beauchamp, Heather Douglas, Edith Wallace, and Jean Dow (Balclutha). All the competitors did excellent work in this section, said the judge, but in some cases this was marred by the entirely wrong use of the child voice. There was a tendency towards a too elaborate interpretation—that is, the tried to sing as adult women, and this was really injurious to their health. The winner’s work was noted for the pure use of voice, but she did not shape a verso as a

whole, being inclined to break each .verse into bits, and failing to relate each bit to its neighbour. The second competitor was in danger of using her voice too hard when seeking emotional effects. The third competitor, through allowing her voice to sharpen, lost points on the day’s performance. Judge, Mr Anderson Tyrer. VOCAL DUET, Lady and Gentleman. Own selection. Miss Betty Pocock and Mr John Edgar, 85 points 1 These were the only competitors. Tho judge said he was very sorry there were'no more entered in this class. Performing vocalists of this district apparently did not realise the real importance of ensemble work. They seemed to think the term “ ensemble ” applied to instrumental! music only. The voices of the competitors blended well and they sang well together. Ho would offer this word of advice: The male duettist should be careful not to obscure tho lady’s voice. LADIES’ SCHOLARSHIP— (a) Soprano, ‘ The Yellow Hammers’ Song ’ (Granville Bantock) ; mezzosoprano, ‘ The Angels’ Song ’ (Elgar) ; and contralto, ‘ Silent Strings’ (Bantock).' This section will be judged in conjunction with songs of the competitors’ own selection. ,to be heard to-day. Competed: Mesdarnes Alvin Chase (Oamaru), J. C. MacFarlane, Misses Sheila Stevenson (Gore). Lexie Mathieson, June Kerr (Tirnaru), Alice Gillies, Violet Brunton, Millie Shrimpton, Isabel Barron, Estelle Bernard, Winifred Slater (Oamaru), Ruth Miller, Rone Rocha, Bridget Herlihy. Ethel Hadfield and Marie Campbell (Tirnaru), and Dorothy Barron. DANCING. Judge : Miss Peggy Holm.es. TAP DANCING, suitable for musical comedy, without any apparatus, under 13. Joy Gray, 85 points 1 Pamela Page, 83 points 2 Trevor Phillips, 8(3 points 3 Also competed; Sorvel Mac Lean, Isa-i bel Hastie, Shirley Lysaght, Joan Townrow (Outram), Margaret Yates

(Christchurch), Ralph Markby, Shirley M’Cracken, Irene Hancock, Shirley Workman, June M’Call, Betty - Black, Margaret Jenkins, Juno Stanley, Adino Chatterton, Eron Reed, Betty M’Donald, Diana Walsh, June Galvin, Gwenneth Collie, Lily A. M. Burns, Audrey Wheeler, Barbara Eraser, Ereda Meldrum (Morgiel), Betty Kean, Gwen Wilson, Diana Walsh, Marguerite Smyth, Doreen Scoullar, Lorna Hewitt, George Eleury, Colin Hewitt, and Betty Palmer. This was quite a good class, said the judge, but the competitors should remember that tap dances needed to be short and snappy, and have plenty of life. Most of the dances were inclined to bo over-long. Tho winner displayed an easy manner, and slio looked as if she were enjoying herself. “ She gave me what I have been looking for,” said the judge, “a nice, relaxed body and ■ legs, without any trace of sloppiness. Her deportment was good, and her beats good.” The second competitor gave a bright performance, which was noted for its clean footwork. CHARACTER DANCE, not to include ballet, Greek, or Eastern, 10 and under 13. Thirteen competitors were heard in this section, the following being re- 1 called;—Joan Townrow, Pamela Page. These will be heard on August 30. ___________