Around The Nationals

New Zealand Listener, Volume 5, Issue 114, 29 August 1941, Unnumbered Page

Around The Nationals

land music world are at present regretting the departure of Mrs. Harold Owers, now in Wellington to be near her husband at Rongotai. But this is the good fortune of Wellington, as listeners will be given an opportunity to prove themselves when she broadcasts in the near future from 2YA. Mrs. Owers has had a considerable career in singing. When she was eight years old she went from Britain to Australia and at the age of 19 won a Melba Scholarship and studied at the Conservatorium. Soon followed professional work with Gilbert and Sullivan companies. She toured New Zealand with Marie Bremner’s company as Mary Hotham, and was principal soubrette. It ‘was in New Zealand that she met Harold Owers. Three years ago she went travelling again and in England was engaged by the BBC. She sang for Empire broadcasts and has also been on the air in Australia. * * & N attempt among members of the Dunedin Choral Society to find variety in a lighter type of music than the heavier choral works created the Dunedin Choral Society's Madrigal Club, which will give a concert between 8 p.m. and 8.42 p.m. on September. 1 from 4YA. The club’s originators aimed to encourage members to meet together in small groups in their own homes to sing madrigals, and their move has achieved remarkable success. They sing everything from memory, including light "nonsense" numbers with more serious part songs. They practise before or after Choral Society rehearsals and in their homes on Saturday evenings. They have reached a high standard of performance and gained a real appreciation of the finer points of "A Capella" singing. To put in the amount of work necessary for efficiency the members have to be real enthusiasts. In the matter of attendances, discipline is strict. Otherwise rehearsals are a meeting of friends. * * s [Tt must be encortfaging to listeners to " find that broadcasters with something to say, musically, do not remain static in one centre. Next week a more than ordinary amount of travelling will be done by NBS artists. Ernest Empson has been south to 4YA and 3YA, meeting. many old friends in Christchurch, and will then be on his way north through Wellington to Auckland and Australia again. He is in 2YA’s programmes for Thursday, September 4. L. E. Dalley is another migrant. Next week he contrives, somehow, to visit Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland, this time travelling, from north to south. He sings from 1YA on Sunday, August 31; from 2YA on Tuesday and Thursday, and from 3YA on Saturday, September 6. Also restless are Winifred Carter and Henri Penn, who have been giving those interesting harp and piano recitals. They will play from 2YA on Tuesday, September 1, and we have news from 3YA that they will be heard in Christchurch with local artists during the following week. \ UCKLAND listeners and the Auck-