YOUNG PIANISTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24772, 24 November 1941, Page 9

YOUNG PIANISTS

HIGH LEVEL OF WORK DR LYON IMPRESSED "This is my third visit to New Zealand, and the first thing that has impressed me is that, generally speaking, the pianists and instrumentalists are not only keeping up the high level of technicality for which this city is noted, but they are also being taught to understand the language of music," said Dr James Lyon, Trinity College examiner, in a brief address on Saturday night at the presentation of medals and prizes won by students in recent examinations. " I have also been struck by the refined speech of the elocutionists," he said. "We examiners do not wish to alter the speech of a country, but we do want those who speak our wonderful English literature to speak it well." Dr Lyon gave some sound advice to young students learning the piano and said that the language of music was being taught exceedingly well in Dunedin, as they could hear by the items given that night by some of the prize winners. He added that people to-day looked on music as a luxury, whereas it was a necessity. The prizes won were presented by Mr W. J. Mflrrell, president of the Dunedin Centre of the Trinity College of Music, as follows: Medals Licentiate.—John Russell Phillips (violin). Higher Local. —Betty Nicolls (piano). Prizes Music, Practical.—lnitial: Maureen Agnes Phillips. First steps: Phyllis L. Thomson. Preparatory: Alma Johnson. Advanced preparatory: lan Harvey. Junior: Marie Chalmers. Intermediate: Georgina E. Smith. Senior: Moira McAtamney. Advanced senior: Marion \K. Allan. Theory.—First steps: Marie Campbell. Preparatory: Anna Jensen. Junior: Robert Melville Freeman. Advanced junior: Ngaire Downie Potter. Intermediate: Frances Alexander. Advanced intermediate: June McCall. Senior: Cynthia Forrest. Elocution. First steps: Patricia O'Connell. Preparatory: Veronica Finlin. Advanced preparatory: Lorraine Walters. Junior: Freda Pagett. Intermediate: Glenna Smith and Lorraine Alexander. Senior: Shirley Winifred Woodhead. An enjoyable programme of musical numbers and elocutionary items was presented by some of the prize winners as follows:—Paino solo—(a) " Solitude " (Rowley), (b) "Gaiety" (Rowley), lan Harvey (advanced preparatory); elocution, ""The Elfin Artist" (Noyes), Lorraine Walters (advanced preparatory); piano solo. " Humoresque " (Alec Rowley), Marie Chalmers (junior); piano solo—(a) "Rondo" (Purcell), (b) "In the Hayfield " (Thos. Dunhill). Georgina E. Smith (intermediate); piano solo, " Sing a Song of Sixpence " (Livens), Zelda Morris (senior); piano solo, "Prelude" (Delius), Moira McAtamney (senior); piano solo—(a) "BourreesNo. 1-2 (Bach), (b) "Troika" (Tschaikovsky), Marion K. Allan (advanced senior); piano solo, ".First Movement Sonata A min." (Schubert), Betty Nicolls (higher local gold medallist); elocution. Scene from " King Lear." Ethel Taylor; violin solo, " Sonata" (Delius). John Russell Phillips (gold medallist): elocution, "Wedding Day Speeches/' Leonard J. T. Ireland.

In addition, two verse spaaking items —Rudyard Kipling's " Recessional" and "A Musical Instrument" (Browning)— were given by a choir of girls from the Holy Name Convent.