PEOPLE IN THE PROGRAMMES

New Zealand Listener, Volume 2, Issue 48, 24 May 1940, Page 20

PEOPLE IN THE PROGRAMMES

Choirs are His Specialty

OHN T. LEECH is conductor of the Leech Lyric Choir, which was founded in 1922 and has since had con-

siderable success in contests, and on the concert platform with opera, oratorio, masses, madrigals, part songs, etc. Its strength is about 90 voices, and in its ranks are many artists frequently heard over the air as soloists. Mr. Leech began his musical career as a boy soprano in the famous Trinity Church, Manchester, England,

and was later associated with the Halle Choir and the Manchester Caledonian

Society. He .came to New Zealand in 1910 and became a teacher of singing. When the present King visited Dunedin, Mr. Leech conducted the combined male choirs and was conductor at numerous other special occasions, of the combined choirs at the Schubert Centennial Celebrations and of the combined male choir at the opening of Dunedin Town Hall.

He was chorus master at the operatic productions given at the time of the Dunedin Exhibition, and he has had long connections with several local choirs. He has been responsible for the chorus for "Faust" in the Centennial Music Week. He judged at the competitions in Wellington in 1937-8, and, as a tenor, is well known through broadcasts from national stations in both Australia and New Zealand. The choir under Mr. Leech will give an evening concert from 4YA on Monday, May 27, beginning at 8 p.m.

Dees NOVELETTES TRIO (above) was formed about two years ago by Muriel Caddie, who is seen in the photograph standing between Walter Sinton (xylophone) and A. H. Pettitt (piano). They play for 4YA. Muriel Caddie began her musical career when she was six years old and worked her way up mainly through competition successes in Dunedin. She is accompanist for several choirs

and musical societies in Dunedin, leads her accordion band, has played over 4YA in piano accordion recitals, and is also in Ted Andrews’s Revellers’ Band. Alf. Pettitt is " Alfie" in the Dunedin community sings, which all Dunedin people say are the best and brightest ever. His prize winning New Zealand Centennial March was played by the massed bands at the Wellington Contest and the Exhibition Opening Ceremony. He also plays the bass, and with this instrument is a member of 4YA’s concert orchestra. Walter Sinton started his musical life with the Albany Street Drum and Fife Band in 1918 and now plays on all sorts of occasions. He is drummer for Dick Colvin’s Dance Orchestra,

She Comes from Ireland RS. TREVOR STEDMAN, whe sang from 4YA on Tuesday of this week, learned her music first in Ireland,

as a pupil at Alexandra School, Dublin. Later ‘she studied at Lowther College, Lytham, England, and from there continued at the Royal Irish Academy of Music,. Dublin, and under Dr. Marchant of St. . Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin. After the last war she married, and accompanied her husband on his re-

turn to New Zealand. In October, 1922, she took part in the first concert broadcast by the Otago

Radio Association, and later broadcast from F. J. O’Neil’s Station, 4YA. Station 4YA, under the National Broadcasting Service, still makes good use of her soprano voice,