A Technological Musician

New Zealand Listener, Volume 2, Issue 50, 7 June 1940, Page 20

A Technological Musician

. G. THOMPSON, who will give a baritone recital from 3YA on Friday, June 14, at 8.13 p.m., is a member of a musical London family. At the age of 10 he became soloist at a big London church. He was trained for a musical career under Beuham Blaxland, and had the benefit of sound advice and assistance from Sir Charles Santley, the famous English singer, and George S. Aspinal, the composer and_ singer. He was soloist at the Pro-Cathedral, South

Kensington, Church of the Immaculate Conception, Grosvenor Square, and the Royal Military Chapel near Buckingham Palace. At the conversion of St Saviour’s, Southwark, into Southwark Cathedral, he was one of the younger members of the choir selected to sing before King Edward VII. He decided to drop music as a career, and trained) in the theory and practice of technology to become a teacher, retaining music as a hobby and a recreation. When, in 1907, he decided to come to New Zealand and make it his home, he at once interested himself in the educative possibilities of vocal and instrumental competitions. After vocal suc-

cesses, he was judged New Zealand Vocal Champion at Wellington, in 1913. As an organiser and conductor he has had extensive experience in New Zealand. He was the first conductor of the Canterbury University College Orchestral and Choral Societies and the Napier Liedertafel. For some years he was conductor of the Royal Christchurch Musical Society. In New Zealand broadcasting he was one of the pioneer radio artists. He and his quartet were favourite performers for the original Company. On the air he has also shown his elocutionary ability as a reader on various occasions.