TALENTED BOYS

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 33, 9 February 1933, Page 7

TALENTED BOYS

,V.A.L. CONCERT

The Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe, who with Lady Bledisloe attended the return, concert of the boys of the Young Australia League in the Town Hall last evening, informed the orgauiser-director, Mr. H. Gladstone Hill, at the close o£ the concert that he was amazed at the versatility of the boys, and regretted that lack of time would prevent his entertaming them at Government House. There was a very large audience, including the Mayor (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop), and all were greatly pleased with the concert, which was very similar to those given at Wellington during the bandfirst visit. The-, main attraction of the concert jparty is the band, composed of the youngest bandsmen in the world, and it; plays with the expression and dash of a. first-class adult band. The miniature drum-major, Charlie Stanton, aged eight years, conducted the band's first number, "The Thunderer." Ken Slater played the xylophone solo, "You Will Hemember Vienna," with band accompaniment, and sang "How I Joined the Band." Other numbers in the first part of the programme were: "A Musical - Switch," "Colonel Bogey," "'Our Director," and "Inve. cargill." In the second portion of. the programme the band played "Three Blind Mice,", "Minstrel Melodies" (including three solo-intrumental efforts), "Blue Horizon," "WaiataPoi," and "Rule Britannia." One _of the principal scenes was "Night Time in 'Camp." In it Gordon Kerrish sang "Fifty Years From Now," and Les. Keary "I'm Not All There." Ron Newbury; described as "Australia's goldenvoiced soprano," pleased greatly with "The Coon's Prayer." Colin Croft, a .sophisticated young gentleman of nine years, was excellent in his interpretation ff "Burlington Bertie." Ken Slater sang The Little Shirt _ my Mother ,Made for Me." Two boys with soprano voices combined delightfully in "When the Organ Plays at Twilight." Other choruses in the scene were: "Here Comes the Sun" and "Anchors A'weigh." Vaughan Handley, who gets a surprisingly good tone'out of his violin, played two numbers, and the other solo violinist, Leon Cahill, also pleased greatly. Jim Nicol was applauded for his two, soprano solos. Besides "Night Time in Camp" other scenes were "The Scouts," "The- Confidence Trick," and "Life in the Schoolroom," all of them very amusing. Colin Croft and Charlie Stanton did a double tap.dance. Mention must be made of the excellent acrobatics j and pyramid building done under the ; leadership of Doug. Hawkins; The V.A.L. Orchestra played "Anchors A'weigh" and "Everybody's Wish." . The pianist was ! Tom Henderson. • The matinee yesterday afternoon was ■• well attended, and the audience included about three hundred children from the orphanages. Another concert will be given this evening. Last evening' the Port Nicholson Silver Band gave items outside the hall before the' concert, provided a guard for His Excellency, and played the

National Anthem inside the hall. In the interval Mr. Hill made an appeal for funds to help to send the Port Nicholson Band to the Dominion contest at Dunedin. The V.A.L. boys sold tickets for the Port Nicholson band's concert nest Wednesday.- '...-■.