A GRACIOUS ACT

Southland Times, Issue 25343, 23 July 1935, Page 6

A GRACIOUS ACT

CELEBRATED VIOLINIST. BLIND GIRL GRANTED INTERVIEW. (Per United Press Association.) Timaru, July 22. The celebrated violinist, Yehudi Menuhin, who is touring New Zealand, made a concession to Christchurch yesterday which he has never done before in his musical career—he graciously granted an. interview to an amateur violinist and that singular distinction fell to Ethel Gibson, Timaru s little blind player, who has shown great promise as a musician. It had long been her ambition to hear and meet one of the world s outstanding violinists and yesterday her hopes were realized. During Menuhin’s North Island tour representations were made from Timaru to Messrs J. and N. Tait to inquire if the distinguished player would in the goodness of his heart grant her an interview and he replied: “Delighted to see her.” On his visit to Christchurch Menuhin would not grant interviews and it was because of his sympathy with the girl in her blindness that he broke the rule on this occasion, in fact Menuhin varied two of his strictest rules on Miss Gibson’s behalf for during the recital in Christchurch on Saturday night be allowed her to meet him in the artist’s room during the interval. Miss Gibson played three pieces, one being her own composition, and Menuhin was delighted with her execution and artistic interpretation. Miss Gibson s tutor, Inglis W. Todd, is also blind.