COMPETITIONS FESTIVAL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 6 August 1926, Page 7

COMPETITIONS FESTIVAL.

RECORD ENTRIES

Last year’s entries of 308 in the Hawera Competitions Festival constituted a record. That has been beaten by the fifth (the present) series, which have drawn no less than 376 competitors. Instrumental music has attracted 73, vocal music 133, aud elocution 170_ Such support will necessitate the competitions lasting until Friday, i.e., four days. The judges will be Mr. J. Holmes Runicles (Palmerston North) for music, and Mr. F. L. do Berry (Palmerston North) for elocution. The choral section should arouse considerable interest, five choirs —Methodist Church (2), St. Mary’s, the Operatic Society, and the Manaia Choral Union —having entered the. lists. The draw-ing-room entertainment, a new feature in the programme, lias drawn two entries.

Instrumental music lias for its strongest class piano solo for children under fifteen years, for which eighteen entries have been received. There was no under fifteen years section last year, the under fourteen event having called forth eight contestants. The next most- popular sections are piano solo under eighteen, piano solo under twenty-one, and open violin solo, with twenty-one entries evenly divided between them.

Vocal music finds the operatic solo for lady or gentleman claiming the attention of a. class of fifteen. Lady’s ■sold (under nineteen) and the open soprano or mezzo-soprano solo have attracted 12 and 10 singers respectively. Elocution has brought out some strong classes, though none equal the 23 girls under fifteen years who came forward in a recitation for that class last year. Generally, however, the elocution is much stronger. The girls under twelve recitation this year is the most popular event, “Crab Apple” being due to be rendered by 17 students. Reading at sight, a. mixed class for children under fourteen, comes second with 16 prospective contestants. Recitation (not humorous) for girls under eighteen, recitation (own selection) for children under ten, recitation “The Elfin Artist”) for • girls under fifteen, have, each attracted 15 competitors. Other popular elocution classes are : Recitation in costume, boy or girl Under fourteen; recitation in character (humorous), open; reading at sight, hoy or girl under foilrteen.