COMPETITIONS FESTIVAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 September 1938, Page 2

COMPETITIONS FESTIVAL

FIRST DEMONSTRATION. The Greymouth Competitions Society’s thirty-first annual festival, which commenced last Monday, will conclude to-night, with the second and final demonstration in the Town Hall. The first demonstration concert last evening attracted practically a full house, and patrons were warm in their appreciation of the class of the entertainment provided. Prior to the concert, the Greymouth Highland Pipe Band under Pipe Major AV. Boyle, presented a short programme of selections outside the Town Hall. During the interval, Mr. T. Crankshaw, at the Hammond organ entertained the audience. Ven. Archdeacon J. A. Jermyn (President of the Society), thanked the audience for their patronage, and said he was delighted to announce that the festival would be a. financial success. A bumper house for the final concert this evening would ensure a balance sheet of which the Society could be proud. McGRATH CUP. Announcing his award of the McGrath Cup to Miss Patsy Kiely, the elocution judge, Mr. Errol Muir, said the committee had requested him to award the trophy to the most promising competitor, instead of to the outstanding competitor. The most promising, in his opinion, was Patsy Kiely. She was young, but showed remarkable ability for her age, and was consistent in all her work. She gave promise of developing • into a splendid elocutionist. Speaking of the Festival, generally. Mr. Muir said he had been ' impressed not so much with the standard of the work, but with the promise shown by so many of the performers. He appealed to parents to do all they could to develop that promise, and he urged the competitors not to be discouraged by defeat, or too elated by success, but to work and study for improvement. Fie congratulated the win- . ners, and asked the losers to accept defeat as an incentive to better work in the future. He thanked the committee and the stage managers for the assistance they had given the judges, and said he had had a happy time in Greymouth. MUSIC SECTIONS. The judge of the ’music sections, Mr. Frederick Bullock, said he had had a happy time in Greymouth, and hoped to come back again. The general attitude of the competitors was excellent, and they had continued in a good friendly spirit throughout the week. There was a good deal of excellent ma- . ferial in the district judging by the j performances he had heard during the festival. The quality of the pianoforte ; work showed that there was very sound training in Greymouth, while it was interesting to find a fair num- < her of competitors in the violin class- J es. a section in which manj 7 of the j large Societies found it difficult to get. large numbers. The standard was very fair in these tests, one or two of the competitors being very good. Indeed,

one young lady of 14 years gained highest marks in the music section, and showed excellent promise. It was a. pleasant, surprise, he said, to find so many excellent voices in the men's vocal classes. The women also showed a good style, but the men were better vocally. Generally, the voices were better than the artistry, but with such a good foundation, work and study would do a great deal. A tendency to sing loudly, and with lack of expression and tone colour, were the principal faults. In fact, in all classes, vocal and instrumental, the chief weakness was lack of detail, colour, variety or expression, the qualities which go to the making of a musician, as distinct from a singer or player. Mr. Bullock concluded with his thanks to the committee and the stage managers, and expressed appreciation of the manner in which the festival had been conducted, and the assistance given at. all times to the judges. Awards made after the “Star" went to press yesterday, were: —

Character or demi-character dance, under !•: —Helen McMillan, 74pts.. 1: Isohel Grey, 71pts.. 2; Daphne Goodall. 70pts., 3. V.H.C.: Pat. Fisher. Also competed: Gay Mulialy, Elaine Harris, Donald Manson, Pat Spiers. Joyce Picken.

Sailor’s Hornpipe, under 13: Shirley James (Ashburton) 76pts., 1; Betty Glen, 75pts., 2; Shirley Hornsby, 69pts. 3. V.H.C.: Donald Ramsay (Ashburton), Margaret Palmer (Riccarton).' Viv. Heenan. Also competed: Maxwell Winterbourn, Joyce Inglis. Betty Lindbom, Mabel Galway, Gwenith Riches, Alsia Dewer. Joan McMillan. Jack Knight, Patricia Schultze, Bernice Roper, Jocelyn Goode. Operatic Ballet. —Miss Dorothy Thwaites’ team 72pts., 1. Also competed: Miss Miriam Trott’s team. DANCING SECTIONS The judge of the national and fancy dancing, Mrs. R. Triggs, said she had been disappointed with several of the sections, and in particular, with the work under 13 years, and in the operatic sections. The technique should, have been much better. Too many of the children repeatedly used the! wrong arm and foot positions in dif-| forent steps. Facial expression was lacking in the operatic section, and the children's work would be much ! more pleasing, if they would put more' expression into their arm movements. The skipping rope dances were exceptionally fine, and she had seen in these classes during the week, some of the best work' she had ever seen. Tapping was also good, hut the mosr enjoyable section was the character or demi-character senior class, in which she saw the best performance in the dancing sections. The barefoot dancing was also a treat. Mrs. Triggs added that, the standard io work in the national classes was not good. Ii had to be. remembered that positions were, lhe foundations of all good dancing, and without them competitors • would never please. Mrs. ’i'riggs expressed tier appreciation of the con- 1 duct of the festival, and the assistance ■ given lhe judges.

FINAL AWARDS Awards in the concluding classes this morning were as follow: — Irish Jig, I I years and over: Vonnie Goodall 71 pls., 1: Monica Sinnott G 9 pts., 2. Also competed: Leonore Upton (Christchurch).

Character or Demi-character Duo. Under 13 years: — Daphne Goodall and Margaret. Ellery 76 pts. 1: Bernice Roper and Joan McMillan 74 pts., 2;

Viv. Heenan mid partner 73 pls.. Also competed: I’ar Spiers and Isabel Grey, .Joyce Inglis and. Betty Glen, Betty Lindbom and Joyce Picken.

Barefoot,, Dance, 13 years and over: —Eileen Hannan S 3 pts.. 1: Leonore Upton 79 pts., 2; Vonnie Goodall 78 pts. 3. Also competed: Kath Thom-

■“on, Mandio Williams, Monica Sinnott. Fat Gifkins, Barefoot. Dance, under 13; Viv. Heenan (Hokitika) 76 pis. 1; Sb.irley James (Ashburton) 71 pts 2, Joan McMillan tCobden) tif) pts 3. Also com-' peled: Helen McMillan, Shirlev Loe. Joyce Inglis. BRASS BANDS SECTION. (Judge: Mr. E. R. Moss). C( rnot Solo: e. Howat 68 pts 1. Only competitor. At. the Wellington Competitions, Mi’ D. A. Goulden, of Greymoutli, was Placed second in the bass section of lhe class for Liedor songs.