LITTLE GIRL WHOSE DREAM CAME TRUE

New Zealand Listener, Volume 4, Issue 90, 14 March 1941, Page 42

LITTLE GIRL WHOSE DREAM CAME TRUE

From the Friendly Road to America and Back

Friendly Road, discovered in his Children’s Choir a little girl who showed a remarkable aptness for pianoforte work. So capable did she show herself, indeed, that he made her deputy Pianist, and a comparatively short time afterward she found herself in the position of first pianist to the choir. The little girl was Joyce Bryant, of Te years ago, Uncle Tom, of 1ZB’s

Epsom. Even as a child she had a marked faculty for memorising, and could play through an entire two hours’ programme of choral and solo work without benefit of music. As she grew older, she developed musically and became as popular in solo playing as she was as an accompanist. Two years ago, an uncle in New York invited her to visit him and spend some time in advancing her musical studies. She went. She advanced her studies and she travelled through the States as extensively as she could, seizing every opportunity that came her way to see and hear those who are _ international figures in the world of music. Strenuous Practice And the other day she returned to New Zealand,

now a seasoned pianist (and a most attractive young woman into the bargain) to take her old place as accompanist to the Friendly Road Children’s Choir. "T went to the States anxious to see the country, but my main ambition was to further my studies," she said, in talking about her experiences. " My destination was Syracuse, New York, and there my uncle introduced me to one of the leading pianoforte teachers. I put in a solid 18 months under his tuition, working six to eight hours a day at strenuous practice. Indeed, when I was preparing for two recitals at which I appeared, I did as much as 10 hours daily. Before I left New York I took part in one public recital with other musicians, and later I had the honour of giving a recital." It seemed natural, she went on, to speak first of her music, but there were intervals in her studies during which she saw a good deal of America. She toured frequently through New York State and travelled down to Florida, up to Canada, and west to California. She visited the opera frequently and heard most of the famous American orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic and the Boston Symphony Orchestras. Orchestras and Oil Companies Music in the United States, said Miss Bryant, stands on a much higher pedestal

than it has reached in New Zealand, and this is most noticeable in radio programmes, "T always thought of America as the home of jazz,’ she went on. " Of course, you hear jazz and swing music, but music at its best has a very large place in both afternoon and evening broadcast hours. Americans, I should say, are more ‘ goodmusic’ minded, and all the more popular

radio stations give much time to the best in music. All the famous orchestras and singers broadcast frequently, and many of these performances are sponsored by big industrial interests. In fact, whether it is cars, oil companies, or some nationally-known household commodity, it seems important that it should be associated with the best music and artists obtainable. Even when it is comedy it is still the world’s best that is sought." Altogether, she had found her stay in America very pleasant, and she hoped some day to return there, but in the meantime she was going to settle down to work hard and justify all the trouble that had been taken with her tuition. . "When over there," she concluded, "TI often described the Friendly Road Children’s Choir, and although I heard some sweet juvenile singing I did not hear any combination of children’s voices attempting anything like the concerted singing we have at 1ZB. Being accompanist to the choir gave me an ambition to get somewhere with the piano, and so long as I remain in Auckland it will be my delight to take my place with the children on Sunday mornings." It has been arranged that for some weeks to come, at the conclusion of the Children’s Choir broadcast from 1ZB on Sunday mornings, Joyce Bryant will give a short recital. ~