She Made an Early Start

New Zealand Listener, Volume 25, Issue 649, 7 December 1951, Page 12

She Made an Early Start

HEN , she was five: and-aipalt years old Valda Johnstone, daughter of ‘well-knewn Wellington musicians (her father a ‘cellist and her mother a pianist) made her first public appearance at the Wellington Competitions in a pianofarte class. When still a child she went to Australia and is now known as an Australian pianist. In the next few months listeners to several stations in both © the North and South Islands will hear her in 14 studio recitals. Miss Johnstone's first broadcast will be at 1YC at 8.36 pm. on Friday, December 14, when she will play Sonata in E Minor (Haydn), Schumann’s The Prophet Bird and three Fantasias also by Schumann, Her second programme — at 1YA on Sunday, December 16, at 3.0 p.m.-will consist of Four Waltzes by Brahms, a Tango by Albeniz, Spanish Dance

Uuranéedos, iainsong by Goede, and Three Preludes by Gershwin, Subsequent recitals will be given at LXH en December 21 and 23; 2XG, December 26; 2¥Z, December 30 and January 1; 2YA, January 6; 2YC, January 8: 3YC, January 11; 3XC, January 14; 4YC, January 17; 4YA, January 20; and 3YC, January 31, In Melbourne Valda Johnstone studied with Benno Scherek and later won a scholarship to continue with Waldemar Seidel. Then, when she was 16, she played the Mendelssohn G Minor Concerto with the Victorian Professional Orchestra conducted by the late Gustav Slapoffski. Busy years follewed. She won a three years’ exhibition- (valued at £100) at the University Conservatorium, Melbourne, and completed her diploma course as a solo performer, after which she made five consecutive tours throughout Victoria for the Conservatorium. Over a number of years Miss Johnstone has appeared as soloist and accompanist for the Australian Broad-

casting Commission and in concerts for the Forces during the war. Concerto work, solos and accompanying engagements took her on visits to other States and she has played also in Sydney and Canberra, During the last 15 years she has been associated with Alan Thompson as a duo-pianist. Programmes by this team include the Bach Concerto in C for Two Pianos and Orchestra, played with the Victorian Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Groves (visiting English conductor) in the Melbourne Town Hall. As an accompanist Miss Johnstone has appeared with leading Australian artists, including Sylvia Fisher (now at Covent Garden), Maxwell Colien (a "Sun" Aria winner), Thea Phillips, John Amadie, Clement Q, Williams, Robert Payne, Kathleen Goodall, David Allen, Lorenzo Nolan, Betna Pontin, John Glickman, Etta Bernard, Laurence Lott, and William Laird.