COMPETITIONS AT ELTHAM

Taranaki Daily News, 12 June 1928, Page 11

COMPETITIONS AT ELTHAM

FIRST FESTIVAL TO-MORROW. The enterprise of a few musie-lovers in Eltham in inaugurating a competitions festival for Eltham has been well rewarded by the splendid entries that have been received in all classes for the first competitions, which opens in the Town Hall, Eltham, to-morrow and will be concluded on Thursday. The programme arranged was a very comprehensive one catering for all sections, and particularly for the children. Features are the schools’ choirs’ union section, which has attracted entries from seven schools, and two part singing for which five schools have entered. Folk dancing and physical drill, both new features in competitions, have attracted large entries, as indeed have all the children’s vocal and instrumental classes. The adult classes have all filled well, there being no less than nine in the men’s ballads and eight in the men’s national songs, whilst there arc six in the ladies’ ballad and five in tho ladies’ national song and six in the vocal duets. There are also four in the church ehoir section. All the other sections have filled well. Complete arrangements have been made for the conduct of the festival, which will open at 2 p.m. to-morrow and continue till -bout 4.30 p.m., resuming again at 7 p.m. with recalls. On Thursday it will resume at 2.30 p.m, with recalls at 7 p.m. The committee is arranging to provide the competitors from schools at a distance with a light tea at the conclusion of the afternoon session. They have been particularly fortunate in their choice of judges, Miss H. W. Blackie, physical instructress to tho Taranaki Education Board, having consented to adjudicate in the dancing, whilst Mr. E. Douglhs Tayler, supervisor of musical education, will adjudicate in the singing section. This should give him a splendid opportunity of gaining an fpsight into the musical abilities of the children of a considerable area. Children’s fresh voices always have a special appeal to the publie, so that irrespective of the fact that the leading talent of the district is competing in the adult section, there should be a large attendance of the public, which is all that is required to ensure the success of the festival, which will then become a permanent institution in Eltham. On both evening there will be community singing led by Mr. E. Douglas Tayler. The Governor-General and his suite have accepted an invitation to attend on Thursday evening.