MANAIA JUBILEE CONCERT

Taranaki Daily News, 11 June 1932, Page 10

MANAIA JUBILEE CONCERT

ARTISTS OF GREAT MERIT.

CROWTHER AND FRITCHARD The wisdom •of the .-decision of the Manaia Jubilee Committee to engage talent of considerable merit for the jubilee concert, was proved on Thursday night when a programme-of exceptional quality was presented to a capacity house. The seating was sold out days in advance and an audience three times as large could have been obtained had there been available space. Messrs. Owen Pritchard and Frank Crowther, 2YA artists, formed the star attraction, and until nearly midnight they held the audience under their spell with old community songs and melodies. ■The gathering joined in with great enthusiasm, especially, when a trio consisting of Messrs. Pritchard, Tumi Epai and Sid. Allright gave impromptu Maori and other songs. Mr. Crowther, too, held the audience with his wonderful pianoforte rendition of “Lily of Laguna” and other airs. The concert leaders introduced themselves by remarking that they had run out of benzine on the way and they explained their presence with the song, “We’re Here Beca-use We’re Here,” followed by a cheery community song, “Smile Boys Smile.” Mr. Pritchard scored a number of hits at the expense of old pupils of the school reminding them oi some of their misdeeds as boys and promising them punishment on the morrow, to be given by their old teachers.

Previous to the arrival of the artists the Maori performers gave a demonstration of haka and poi dancing which was enthusiastically received. ’At a later stage' Tumi Epai, a talented Native singer, was heard in song numbers receiving a tremendous ovationf

Air. and Airs. Allright delighted the audience with the vocal duets “In the Garden of Aly Heart” and “As I Went a-Roaming,” Air. Allright giving as a solo, “The Irish Orchestra.” Air. Harold Ackroyd proved popular in “Song of the Toreador” and as a recall “Jack’s the Boy.” “The Prayer,” a ’cello solo by Air. N. H.'Lester, was another popular item, as was Airs. Antoni Bonetti’s “Song of the Florian.” Miss Pattie Ekdalil. gave a very pleasing contribution in “Who is Sylvia?” and “I Know a Lovely Garden.”

Little Mavis Retter showed great artistry with an accordeon solo, *‘Ol(t Melodies,” and Mr. Spencer Anderson was popular in songs with ukelele accompaniment, “When the Ship Goes Goes Down” and “She’s a Gorgeous Thing.” Other pleasing numbers were an instrumental trio by Mr. and "Mrs. Antoni Bonetti and Mr. N. H. Lester, a tenor banjo duet by Mr. Antoni Bonettt and Mr. Spencer Anderson, and Bonetti’s Hawaiian orchestra’s interpretation oi “When the Moon Comes Over the Mountain,” and “Natona.” The members of the orchestra were: Steel guitars, Misses G. Mickelson, S. Ryan, May Fraser, Madge Fraser, Hunger, Knowles, Rushin, Messrs. Miller, Parker, Mathieson; tenor banjos, Messrs. P. Linkhorn, S. Anderson, W. Clarke, Hosie, J. Horner, E. Palmer, E. Old, A. Bonetti; mandolin banjos, Misses B. Oldfield, M. Madden, Finlayson, Messrs. B. Harrington, F. Beaurepaire, R. Evans, Prime, J. Joyce; accompaniste, Mrs. Antoni Bonetti. “The accompanistes for other numbers were Mrs. Bonetti and Miss Pattie Ekdahl. Prior to the commencement of the programme old time melodies were played by the orchestra arranged by Mr. Antoni Bonetti under the conductorship of Mr. F. H. Ollerenshaw. The members were: Leader, Mr. Antoni Bonetti; first violins, Messrs. E. K. (Hague, G. Hostick, H. Yarrow; second violins, Messrs, W. Clarke, A. Sargeson; ’ctfilo, Mr. H. N. Lester; bass, Mrs. W. Quin; oboe, Mr. A. Barley; clarinet, Mr. W. Darby shire; bassoon, Mr. F. Foden; cornets, Messrs. W. 11. Spooner and R. Swan; banjos, Messrs. S. Anderson, W. Clarke and P. Linkhorn; piano, Mrs. Antoni Bonetti. At the conclusion the chairman of the jubilee committee, Mr. A. H. Yarrow, thanked the artists for their excellent programme and expressed gratitude for what they had done. This was the first; time that Messrs. Crowther and Frit-' chard had been before a Taranaki audience and he asked the assemblage to show their appreciation by singin" “For They Are Jolly Good Fellows?’ °