SALVATION ARMY

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 97, 21 October 1926, Page 18

SALVATION ARMY

THE MUSICAL FESTIVAL

A WELLINGTON PRIZE MAN.

- (From Our Own Correspondfnt) LONDON, 9th September.

Members of the Salvation Army from all parts of England attended the twenty-third annual musical festival, arranged under its 4 auspices and held at the Alexandra Palace, on Saturday. This year Salvationist musicians all over the world submitted compositions for the first competition held after sixteen years. During the last few weeks, when the entries were being judged, each composition, was known only by a number, and it was not until the winning pieces had been played on Saturday that the places of their origin were announced. There were 94 pieces submitted for adjudication, the first prize-winner in each class being as follows: — Selection (played by Staff Band). — Staff-Captain Wilfred Kitching, of the; National Headquarters. March (played by Chalk Farm Band). —Emil Soderstrom, the son of a Danish Salvation Army officer. Meditation (played by the Staff Band).—Bandsman Harold Scotney, of Wellington, New Zealand. Instrumental solo,. simple melody (played by Begent Hall). —Staff-Cap-tain K. M. Fristrup, of San Francisco. Instrumental solo, theme with variations (played by Begent Hall).—Bandmaster Eric Leidzan, of Boston, U.S.A. > Commissioner Hurren presided over the festival, and the united band was conducted by Bandmaster Punchard. It was not until the announcement of the last and principal item, the competition for a selection, that the name of a Briton as a winner was heard. Great enthusiasm was aroused when first place was awarded to Staff-Cap-tain Wilfred Kitching, of National Headquarters, and a fresh outburst followed when it was added that a second composition of his had secured third place. Under the rules of the competition the third place was award 1 ed to the next best composition. Bandmaster Kirk, of Le-ds, secured second place. On the total of points awarded in all branches of the competition, Britain, was first with a lead of one point.