FROM LONDON

New Zealand Listener, Volume 35, Issue 886, 27 July 1956, Page 25

FROM LONDON

ARRIVING on the same ship as the * cellist Harold Beck (see page 7) will be the English pianist Désirée MacEwan who specialises in lecture recitals as well as in solo work. She studied at the Tobias Matthay School in London, and at the Royal Academy, where she was for a time on the piano staff, later being elected a fellow. She has published a book, The First Two Years of Pianoforte Study. She has toured in many parts of the world, and often gives BBC recitals, a recent successful series being A Century of French Piano Music for the Third Programme. Miss MacEwan will be playing Schumann’s Phantasiestucke in the special Schumann commemoration programme from YCs on Sunday, July 29, at 8.0 p.m. During this programme week Miss MacEwan will be giving YC recitals at 7.30 on Thursday, August 2, and at 7.30 on Sunday, August 5. A new series of programmes given by young New Zealand artists studying in London started from YC stations a few weeks ago. Andrew Gold introduces the musicians and students of all the artsof drama, ballet and pottery. In the programmes still to be heard are Cecille Davies (Auckland soprano), with Mary Richards (Wellington pianist), Shirley Carter (Wellington pianist) and Brigid Lenihan, of Christchurch, from 1YC and 3YC at 7.30, August 1, and 2YC and 4YC on August 5, at 9.30 p.m.

The last programme of the series presents Mona Ross (Cambridge contralto) with Marjorie Alexander (Christchurch pianist), an interview with Squadron Leader V. K. Jacobs and the N.Z. Music Society Piano Quartet. This comprises Antonia Braidwood (violin), of Auckland, Patricia Naismith (viola), of Dunedin. Fleur Burry (cello), of Auckland, and Donald Bowick (piano), of Palmerston North. This programme can be heard from 1YC and 3YC on August 8, and from 2YC and 4YC on August 12.