THE COMPETITIONS

Evening Star, Issue 24291, 4 September 1942, Page 2

THE COMPETITIONS

FINAL MORNING'S RESULTS Today is the final judging day of tho forty-first annual festival of tlie Dunedin Competitions Society. Only His Majesty’s Thealrc was engaged ibis morning, and three, sections constituted the hearing, one section being judged outright, and recalls only announced in (he others. The results were:— DANCING. Judge: Mi-s Kalliiocn Mathews. Character Dance, 13-16.—The following were recalled Beta Cook ami Beverley Wix. Tap Duo, under 11.—The judge recalled Delia Higgins and Kenneth (jondey, Margaret Clark and Lonia Prattley. Billy Shaw' and Billy Mason. Song and Dance, 12-16, own selection.— Beta Cook, 90 points, 1; Beverley Wix, 88, 2; Kenneth Goodoy, 81, 3. Very highly commended: Doreen M. Read. Highly commended: Valmai Gilmonr and Joyce Tavlor. Six competitors. In this class Miss Mathews was assisted by Dr T. Vernon Griffiths, Concluding Events. Tho actual competitions will ho brought to a close this evening, when another very interesting programme will include the impromptu debates and rose howl contest between winners of the soprano, mezzo, contralto, tenor, baritone, and bass solo classes. T'hc festival will be brought to a • conclusion to-morrow with a in the afternoon and the final demonstration concert at night. CLOSING IMPRESSIONS JUDGES EXPRESS PLEASURE Mr H. Temple While, of Wellington, who is the judge of the vocal classes, lias had considerable judging experience. _ The present is tho fourth occasion on which he has judged in Dunedin, his last visit being nine years ago. He has also judged at most "of the centres from Auckland to Invercargill, and at several of them more than once. In 1936 he was the chief vocal judge at the Sydney Eisteddfod, and while on That trip lie acted as examiner of tho vocal diploma candidates at the Conservaloriunt. When, therefore, a man with tins experience expresses pleasure with the standard of work heard during the present festival il means that the standard of that work is good. “ I have been,” he told tho ‘Star,’ “very pleased. Indeed with the work on the whole, particularly in the women's sections. In those I have heard a group of half a dozen or so singers of very great talent. They are so evenly matched that Iho task of judging has been a very difficult one, hut it has also been exciting. There arc also some exceedingly promising voices amongst tho children and the adolescent girls, and, generally speaking, I should say they are being trained along the right lines.” Mr White thought that since lie was last hero tho standard of vocal work had improved. The cumulative effects of new methods of teaching, of changing technique, and of experience had proved beneficial. He had enjoyed his judging very much, and that was the test as to the merit of the performances. “ It is a great achievement for Dunedin to have maintained an unbroken succession of festivals for a period of 41 years,” ho said. “ The audiences have shown themselves very keen, and have displayed an intelligent interest in the results. “ One great value of the competitions is that they provide an outlet for self-expres-sion in the musical, elocutionary, and ter.psichorean arts,” Mr While concluded, “ Valuable stage experine.ee is ■ thus Obtained, and many of ihe Dominion’s wellknown singers gained their early experience at the Dunedin competitions.” DR GRIFFITHS’S THREE POINTS. “ Three main impressions stand out from several gained during this competition festival,” Dr T. Vernon Griffiths said in an interview. “ The first is that the Dunedin festival has a character all its own. It is organised by public-spirited citizens; it is supported by those who have at heart the welfare and happiness of the young; and it derqgnstrates the fact that, to train the wealth of talent the city possesses, there are teachers of high ability who deserve the gratitude of the community. Secondly.” ho staled, “ Iho enthusiastic public support given to this festival shows a recognition of the fact that music and the other arts represented arc of high importance to human welfare, and never more so than at this lime of world upheaval when so much of the good for which men have striven seems to bo but a memory of the past.” Finally, Dr Griffiths considered ihat tho general standard of musical achievement reached by tho competitors (in many cases a very high one) furnished convincing proof of the fact that in Dunedin there was a wealth of talent both in pupils and teachers which justly deserved the fullest and most generous encouragement which tho community generally could give.

“ Here,” he concluded, “ is wealth more valuable than anything material, wealth which if properly used will powerfully influence the future happiness of iho community.”