PRIZES FOR ORIGINAL COMPOSITIONS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 3, Issue 59, 9 August 1940, Page 12

PRIZES FOR ORIGINAL COMPOSITIONS

OUBLE honours have been gained D by Douglas Gordon Lilburn, of Hunterville, in the competition for the best original compositions, held recently as part of the National Centennial Music Festival celebrations, The results were announced the other day. There were two classes in the com-petition--one for an orchestral work, which, to be eligible, had to be either an overture in sonata form, or a tone poem taking approximately ten to fifteen minutes to perform, and the other for a choral work. First and second prizes in both classes were £70 and £30, and both of these having been gained by Douglas Lilburn in the orchestral class, an additional prize of £30 was awarded to the next in order, Robert Adam Horne, Lilburn also gained the first prize in the choral class. The two orchestral works submitted by Douglas Lilburn, who is now studying in England, were "Drysdale" Overture and "Festival" Overture. His prizewinning choral work was " Prodigal Country." Mr. Horne, who comes from Fendalton, Christchurch, submitted a tone-poem, " Ao-Tea-Roa." Winner of second prize in the choral class was Clement Roy Spackman, of Dunedin, who used a Maori legend as theme for his composition, "The Burning of the House of Hades." The competition was open only to people born in New Zealand or resident in this country since childhood; born in the Dominion and having lived here until 16 years old but who are now abroad; born outside the country but having resided here for 20 years; born outside New Zealand, but having arrived here before 10 years old, and having lived here until 20 years old.