THE SHEFFIELD CHOIR.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 877, 25 July 1910, Page 6

THE SHEFFIELD CHOIR.

ITS VISIT TO NEW ZEALAND. Dr. Harriss's great enterprise, the Sheffield Choir's visit to all the British dominions, is now well 011 the way. For six months upwards pf COO voices have been tested, and Dr. Coward, tho conductor of the choir, has refused every singer that failed to merit 80 per cent, out of a- possible 100 per cent, of marks. In a letter to his representative, Mr. Hugo Go.-litz, Dr. Harriss says that it will be a grand choir, the very cream of tho Sheffield Chorus. The choir will bo accompanied by eight wellknown soloists, who have not been chosen yet, but Dr. Harriss is in negotiation with several ox tho leading oratorio singers, and will bring the best only. There will be all sorts and conditions of men in the choir—proprietors of mills and cutlery works, beside some of their humblest factory hands, girls who toil for their daily broad for masters whose daughters sing in tho same line with the working girls, nurses, doctors, schoolmasters, heads of school departments, and ladies and gentlemen of means. And this body of picked singers can sing their entire programmes without a note of music. An orchestra will accompany the singers, and ib is needless to say that it will be quite up to tho standard of Dr. Harriss's world enterprises. The vioii-'rs will land at Auckland 011 Juno 25, 1911, and the Wellington festival takes place in the Town Hall on Juno 29, 30, and July 1, 1911. A matinee of Empire music, identical to that to bo given in London this month, is planned to occur 011 Saturday afternoon, July 1, 1911, on which occasion a large space will bo reserved for children. .Mr. J. G. W. Aitken is chairman of tho Wellington Festival Committee, and Jlr. J. D. Gorham lion, secretary. Jlr. Hugo Gorlita is just starting on another tour to confer with tho different festival committees, and to found several new brandies. The magnitude of this enterprise call be best understood by mentioning that £30,000 lias to be expended in fares alone, and that the entire expense will amount; to £50,000.