HAWERA COMPETITIONS

Taranaki Daily News, 27 August 1930, Page 6

HAWERA COMPETITIONS

TRIBUTE TO HIGH STANDARD VOCAL AND ELOCUTIONARY ITEMS PUBLIC SUPPORT ATTRACTED. . 4.'C .» ' ’ ,'b- ’ ’ ” • The Hawera competitions continued to attract public support yesterday at morning, afternoon and evening sessions. The programme was again confined, to musical and elocutionary classes, a large number of which were finalised without a hitch. .. . ’ High praise was voiced by the musical judge, Mr. W. H. Dixon, Christchurch, who .drew a flattering comparison between Hawera and Wellington, where he judged last year. .He was particularly impressed' with the boys’ singing under 12 years and the choir contest, in which entries, he considered, were better than they had been in Wellington. : In the main, he added, the standard of music in New Zealand was every bit as high as in Britain. Results are:— Piano Solo, 15 and under 18 years, “March of the Dwarfs” (Greig).—Alvinza Curtis (Hawera) 1, Winifred Shackleton (Hawera) 2, Gilmore McConnell (New Plymouth) highly commended. Eleven entries. Action Song, girls under 12, own selection.—Margaret Simpson ..(Hawera), “Tambourine Song,” 1; Pauline McEwen (Norinanby), “The Little Flower- Seller,” 2; Eileen Rankin (Eltham), “Tapu,” highly commended. Ten entries. Piano Duet, 12 and under 16 years, “Rhapsodie Mignonne” (Koelling).— Jean Thomas and Doreen Nairn (Ilawera) 1, Doris Gilmore and Eileen Kelsen (Hawera) 2. Eleven entries. Song in Costume, boy or girl under 10 years, own selection. —Margaret Cowie (Hawera), “To a Miniature,” and Eileen Rankin (Eltham), “The Silver Fern,” equal I;- Myer Goldstone (Hawera), “The ‘Chinaman’”, 3. Eight entries.

Recitation, girls 12 and under 16 years, “Winds Works” (Sturge Moore). —Joan Thomas (Hawera) 1, Mary Davidson (Hawera) •), Myre Wilson (Stratford)' v.h.c. Highly commended: Nancy Turnbull, Dorothy Gray, Joyce Knightbridge, Joyce Goodwin, Vivien Jones, all of Hawera. Twenty-two entries. Reading at Sight, 12 and under 16 years.—Joyce Goodwin (Hawera) 1, Veronica Quin (Hawera) 2, Joan Thomas (Hawera) v.h.e. Highly commended: Mary Davidson (Hawera), Vivien Jones (Hawera), Henry Pauling (Patea), Joyce Knightbridge (Hawera). Fifteen entries. Scottish--. Song, own selection.—Mrs. E. D. Mcßeth (Stratford), “Hame,” 1; J. Crawford (Patea), “Border Ballad,” 2; Mrs. C. G. Sunderland (Hawera), “My Ain Folk,” h.e. Six entries. Recital with musical accompaniment, own selection.—Miss Marie Whiteloek (Hawera), “The Roads,” 1; Miss Winifred Quin (Hawera), “Comfort,” and J. Edwards (New Plymouth), “Merchandise,” 2, equal. Highly commended: Miss Vera Davies (Eltham), “Playmate.” Nine entries. Boys’ Song, under 12 years, own selection. —Gordon Smart (Hawera), “Waiata Pol,” 1; Alan Reynolds (Eltham), “Juvenile Jonah,” 2. Ten entries. Rc/tation, ladies, “Romance” (Sack-

viJle). —Miss Winnifred Quin (Ilawera) 1, Miss Mona Dymond (Hawera) ,2. Highly commended: Miss Gwen Harcourt (Normanby), Mrs. W. W. Mundy (Hawera), Miss Mary Quin (Hawera).. Eight entries. Reading at Sight, piano'—Miss Mara Mackie (Otakeho) 1, Miss Ruth Mills (Hawera) 2. Five entries. Violin Solo, under 16 years.—C. R. Downey (Kapuni), “Ahdantino,” 1; Louis Fox (Hawera), “Legende,” 2y Margaret Fox (Hawera), “Chanson Polonaise,” h.c. Four entries. Choir, open to any choir, 20-25 voices, (a) anthem, “The God of Abraham Praise”; (b) hymn or part-sung unaccompanied, own selection.—Hawera Methodist Choir B “Oh, Happy Eyes,” 1; Hawera Methodist Choir A “Moonlight,” 2. Four entries. Soprano Solo, open, own selection. — Miss Flora (Manaia), “Sing, Sweet Bird,” 1; Miss M. Evans (Kaponga), “Orpheus with His Lute,” and Miss Katherine Quin (Hawera), “Butterfly Wings,” equal, 2. Four entries. At an appropriate juncture on Monday evening the chairman of the committee, Mr. F. W, Horner, introduced the musical and elocution judges, Messrs, W. H. Dixon arid J. W. Bailey. Mr. Horner expressed the 'wish that their stay would be pleasant, ' . Mr. Dixon remarked that there was excellent talent in Hawera. He was looking forward to his week's work as a labour of interest. Mr. Bailey said ho liked the spirit prevailing in Hawera, where people banded together so well. He endorsed Mr. Dixon’s remark about the talent-' at the competitions. Mr. Dixon then led the community singing, an unusual and unexpectedly pleasant effect resulting from the simultaneous singing of “A Long, Long Trail” and “Keep the Home Fires Burning.” Commenting on Monday’s classes Mr. Bailey said the majority of the competitors in the recitation in costume (under 12) made tdie mistake of leaving out the actions associated with the character, The recalls, on the other hand erred a little on the other side, but otherwise the performances were artistic. In the recital with musical accompaniment (12 to 16 years) entrants had not used the beat of the music to best advantage. Mr. Bailey hoped the children in the tiny j tots’ recitation would remain as they I were, unaffected. They were all to be commended on their performances. Henry and Leslie Pauling, Patca, had done well in the boys’, recitation (between 10 and 10 years). It was to be regretted that there were so few entries in the men’s classes.

Mr.' Bailey hoped the competitions would be kept going. There was so much mechanical music these days that there was the danger of forgetting that the aesthetic was the greatest side of life. They should maintain a search for beauty, “Music,” said Mr. Dixon, “is a 'very beautiful tiling. I class it with sunrise,

j sunset, flowers, nature and the sea, (something higher than food or clothing. I Art should be loved for the sake of art.” In the piano solo (between 12 and la years) there Was no competitor who was not worth listening to, said Mr. Dixon. The place-getters, Jack Buckley and Betty Turnock, both of Wanganui, had been given unusually high marks, 89 and 88. The children’s Unison singing ;was very enjoyable and it had been a pleasure for him to conduct the massed choirs. He was sorry that there were not more entries in the baritone or bass class. . . . At the conclusion of the session Mr. Hbrfier- firbsenttd the trophies to 'the winning school ■choirs.