RONGOTAI COLLEGE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 153, 2 December 1938, Page 18

RONGOTAI COLLEGE

TOWN HALL CONCERT

A FINE PERFORMANCE

The excellent cultural work being done at Rongotai College was exemplified last evening, when the fourth college concert was held in the Town Hall. There was a large audience which was entertained for over two hours by music, poetry, and song presented by the pupils of the college.

Boys' voices always have an attraction, and last night's concert was no exception to the rule. The boys' songs, items by the choir, the choral speaking of the boys, and the items by the orchestra indicated that neither time nor effort had been spared by the tutors in endeavouring to get their pupils to as high a standard as possible. Careful training and a ready response from the boys themselves brought about a result which marked the concert as one of the outstanding events of the Wellington school year, and all concerned are to be heartily congratulated on their successful effort.

Opportunity was taken during an interval for the principal of the college (Mr. F. M. Renner) to point out to the audience that the object of the concert was two-fold: it was a practical attempt to show whether good music and poetry still had their appeals in spite of many counter attractions, and it also exemplified what was done at the college in the way of cultural work.

The Minister of Education (the Hon. P. Fraser) congratulated all who were engaged in the performance, and extended to them his sincere thanks for and appreciation of their efforts.

The choir was under the conductorship of Mr. J. Todd McCaw; the choral speaking in charge of Mr. R. N. Grono; and the orchestra, was under Mr. E. Meir. Mr. C. W. Kerry was the organist and Mr. D. R. Keith soloist.

The items for boys' voices were "Night" (Franz); "Sleep, Wayward Thoughts" (John Dowland); "The Manly Heart" (G. A. Barker); "Once I Lov'd a Maiden Fair"; the traditional "Robinson Crusoe"; "True Love" (Thuringian); and "Bless This House" (Brahe).

Choir items were "With My Love My Life was Nested" (Thomas Morley); "Silvery Moon," "The Wild Brown Bee" (Bantock); "Sweet and Low" (Barnby); "All People That on Earth Do Dwell," "Lead, Kindly Light," "Now Thank We All Our God," and "Land of Hope and Glory" (Elgar)— the last two by all voices.

The choral speaking numbers were Fleckers Saracen war song and "They That Go Down to the Sea in Ships" (Old Testament); "Imogen" (Sir Henry Newbolt); "The Deil's Awa" (Burns); two of Tennyson's bird poems "To the Owl," and "The Owl"; and two picture poems, "A Boy's Song" (James Hogg), and "Weathers" (Thomas Hardy).

The orchestra played "Andante" (Mendelssohn); "Moment Musical" (Schubert); "Falling Leaves" waltz (Seredy), and the "Commonwealth March" (Hall).

Mr. Kerry, at the organ, played "The Question," and "The Answer" (Wolstenholme).