FESTIVAL ENDS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20026, 26 August 1939, Page 14

FESTIVAL ENDS

1939 COMPETITIONS A NOTABLE SUCCESS STRONG CIIORAL WORK COMMENTS BY JUDGES Before a well-filled house the 1939 festival conducted by the Gisborne Competitions Society concluded in the Opera House last evening, the standard of the performances during the final night being well up to the standard set on previous nights. A feature of the programme was a solo dance performed by Madame Eugenie Dennis, Sydney, the judge in the dancing section at the festival. This item was warmly received and the splendid performance evoked prolonged applause. Bidding farewell to patrons of the Competitions, Madame Dennis expressed the wish that in the near future she would be able to revisit Gisborne.

Commenting on the work done by the performers, Madame Dennis congratulated the teachers of the district on the high standard of dancing and urged that the music played for the dancing numbers should be more rhythmical. She congratulated the losing competitors and said that, had she been a “Lady Nuffield,’’’she would have given all the competitors special prizes.

Maori Competitors

Mr. Len Barnes, the musical judge, expressed his pleasure at the number of Maori competitors and commented that in the South Island he seldom had a chance of gaining an appreciation of the work of the Maoris. Mr. Barnes again urged upon competitors the necessity for detail in their work and told the singers to paint a word-picture with their music.

“The work of the choirs has been very good,” said Mr. Barnes, expressing his pleasure at the performance of the Maori choir. Choral work provided .good discipline for vocalists and the adjudicator urged that more singers should become members of choirs.

Like his fellow-judges, Mr. Errol H. Muir, judge of elocution, commented on the fine spirit shown by all the competitors and paid a tribute to the public support given to the festival. Competition work offered an excellent measure of training and was deserving of every encouragement. The necessity for rhythm in monologues was pointed out by Mr. Muir, who again spoke'on the evils of stressing the unimportant words in elocution. Concluding results were as follows: CHORAL ITEM Not Less Than 12 Voices St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Choir, 210 points 1 Whangara Parish Choir, 208 points 2 Also Competed.—Friendly Circle Choir, and Methodist Church Choir. SKIPPING DANCE? Under 13 Years ltac Mclntosh, 83 points .. .. 1 Audrey Illingworth, 81 points .. 2 Annette Shields, 80 points ■ • 3 Also Competed.—Pamela Clark, Freda Ellis, Valerie Cleary, Hastings. Yvonne Cowley, Mary King, June Cunningham, Margaret Ellis, Mihi Swann, Marjorie Croskery, Janet Molony, and Mavis Tee. SONG Girls Under 13 Years Own Selection

Audrc-y Fowler, “The Lilac Tree,’

82 point's 1 Gladys McClatchie, “Good Morning Brother Sunshine,” 80pts. 2 MUSICAL MONOLOGUE 12 and Under 18 Years Own Selection

Sheila Munro. “A Gentleman of France,” 102 points .. .. 1 Eurnley Cooper, “Some Boys Have Got Mothers,” 99 points •• 2 Peggy Linnell, Hastings, “Spring

and the -Blind Children" (points not announced) .. .. .. 3 SAILOR’S HORNPIPE 13 and Under 18 Years Sheila Munro, 82 points .. .. 1 Dorothy Fletcher, 80 points .. 2 Leslie Ryan, 79 points .. .. 3 DUET Lady and Gentleman Own Selection Joan Snowden and Charlie Whati, “Ye Banks and Braes,” second award only. Also Competed. Miss Florence Smart and Mr. H. Cameron, “Arise O Sun,” and Nan and Charlie Whati, Whartgara, “Come Away Elves.” RECITATION Boys 12 and Under 18 Years Raymond Annan, Napier, “Captain Oates,” 83 points .. .. 1 Douglas Carlyle, Dannevirke, "For the Fallen,” 73 -points .. 2 Highly Commended. Blandford Baker and Geoff Watts, “The Thousandth Man.” OPERATIC SOLO Gentlemen Own Selection Mr. J. E. Mercer, “Eri Tu,” 8G points • • • • • • . • 1 Mr. W. Bentley, Napier, “Eri Tu,” 84 points 2 Also Competed.—Mr. A. P. Awatere, “Happy Moments,” Mr. Louis F. Thodey, Mr. H. Cameron, “Star of Eve,” Mr. D. E. Goldsmith, “Though They Have Sinned.” HIGHLAND FLING Under 13 Years Rae Mclntosh, 81 points .. .. 1 Joyce Miller, 80 points .. .. 2 Marjorie Croskery, 79 points .. 3 Very Highly Commended. —Mary King, Patricia Haycock, Valma Hutchins. SOPRANO SOLO Own Selection Miss Mana Thompson, Tolaga Bay, 87 points, .. .. .. 1 Mrs. .). S. Rutherford, “A Heart That's Free.” 80 points, .. 2 Also Competed.—Mks Joyce Witters, "O Lovely Night,” Miss Florence Smart. “Orpheus with His Lute,” Mrs. Edith Hale, “Pleading," Mrs. Ivan Morrow, “A Heart That's Free." OPERATIC DANCE % 12 and Under 18 Years Lorna Sheen, 80 points .. .. 1 Phylis Thompson, Napier, 7(5 points .. .. .. ..2

CHARACTER SKETCH IN COSTUME 12 And Under 18 Years Sheila IMun.ro, 96 points' .. • • 1 Naida Cameron, Hastings 96 points 2 Highly Commended. Valerie Cleary, Hastings, "Marigold,” Peggy Linnell, Hastings, "Juliet.” Also Competed.—‘Erica Robertson, "Lafayette,” Burnley Cooper, “Jo,” Joy CulT, “Hiawatha’s First Hunting,” Colin Booth, “Grandfather Speaks of Little Nell,” 'Douglas Carlyle, Darnnevirke, “Pronax,” Patricia Hawker, Napier, "Nurse.” NATIONAL SONG Ladies, Own Selection Mrs. J. S. Rutherford, “Oru the Banks of Allan Water,” 86pts 1 Mrs. H. H. Dods, "Land of Heart’s Desire,” 85 points .. . • 2 HUMOROUS RECITATION Ladies, Own Selection Miss Joyce Annan, Napier, “At the Photographers,” 85 points .. 1 | Miss Daphne Violich, Wellington, “History,” 82 points .. ..2 Miss J. Williamson, 80 points .. 8 TAP DANCE 13 And Under 18 Years Phyllis Thompson, Napier, 82 points .. .. . • .. 1 Peggy Pulis, 80 points .. .. 2 Eiva * Mahoney, 79 points .. .. 3 Also Competed'.—Elvia Courtney, Nola Illingworth, Lorna Sheen, Valerie 1 Sutton, Joan Miller, Hamilton. HUMOROUS RECITATION Gentlemen, Own Selection Mr. 'Norman Dee, “Trying a Magistrate,” 79 points .. .. 1 Mr. S. P. Spiller, Napier, “Love,” 78 points 2 Mr. Raymond Annan, Napier, “Swallowing An Egg,” 76 points .. .. ■. .. 3 Also Competed.—Mr. Douglas Carlyle, Dannevirke, “The Agitator,” Mr. lan Smith, Hastings, “A Labour of Love.” TRIO Ladies, Own Selection Mrs. K. Smith, 'Mrs. A. C. Coleman, Miss S. Smith, “Boccherini's Minuet,” 101 marks .. .. 1 Also Competed.—Misses Yolande Renner and Olive and Myra Black, “Serenade,” Misses' E. Down, Diana Down, and' Joan Snowden, “Home By the Sea,” Misses N. Miller, I. Peterson and' Mrs. J. Morton, “Twist Me a Crown of Wild! Flowers,” Misses F. Smart, H. Pirie, and Mrs.. J. Morion, “Music When Soft Voices Die,” Misses P .Whaanga, V. Brown and N. Bartlett, Nuhaka, “Perfect Day.” 15 MINUTES’ ENTERTAINMENT Mrs. Elliott’s Party, “A Dutch Scene,” 82 points .. .. 1 Mrs. T. H. Berry’s Entertainers, “Way Down South in Dixie,” 80 points 2 COMEDIETTA Gisborne Repertory Society Junior team, “Bring Me My Bow,” 75 points 1 A’.'so Competed. Townswomen’s Guild Drama Section.