THE CELESTE QUARTET

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 15, 28 October 1927, Page 7

THE CELESTE QUARTET

The Celeste Quartet, of which Miss Mabel Dyer, Mr. Edgar Swain, Mr. William DPoardman, eud Miss Myra Sawyer are the greatly appreciated members, has been sngaged by 2¥A to give performances at frequent intervals. Miss Dyer has been well-known for a number of years in the southern cities on concert platforms, at sautiatoria, in hospitals, and churches, as a contralto to whom no appeal for help at various functions was made in vain. Miss Dyer studied under the well-known maestro, Roland Boot, of Christchurch, and in 1923 cGe-ided to go to America to further her studies under Audrew Begart, .fter which

she took engagements throughout California. She appeared at San Trancisco’s greatest theatre, seating some 6000 people. Miss Dyer was also one of the soloists at the recital given for Senorita Timelia de Prato, acclaimed as one of America’s coming sopranos, Returning to New Zealand, Miss Dyer sang at the Theatre Moderne, Tahiti, and, with her husband, Mr, Wdgar Swuin, is now studying under Caerylon Bennett, late of Milan, Italy. Mr. Edgar Swain first became known to the public of Wellington at the. annual festival of the Wellington Competitions Society. At this gathering the young singer won section after section, finally securing the championship medal for the year in competi-. tion with some of the best voices at the largest gathering the society "has ever had. After this Mr. Swain began to come into the light a: a concert sitiger, and soon was well-known in Wellington as a tenor soloist. Mr.

Edgar Swain has a robust ‘enor voice of considerable range and power, and is at present studying under Caerylon Bennett, of Wellington. Mr, William Boardman is a powerful basso, well-known in musical circles im Wellington. He has a voice of exs ceptional range and good syuality, and has been studying with H. Temple White for a number of years past. Mr. Boardman was a favourite artist om station 2YK, a feature of his pets formance being his duets with Miss Myra Sawyer. Miss Myra Sawyer is a coloratura sow prano of great purity of tone, and exe cells in her artistic interpretation. This singer comes from a musical fame

ily, and received her early trainin under the gnidance of her father, and, at the age of fourteen, continued serious study under the capable tuition of Sister "Ligouri, of the Hill Street Convent. Two years later Miss Sawyer made her debut before a Wellington audience at a notable coucert held far the reception of overseas visitors. At this function the young singer had the honour of being presented with a bouquet by Lady Liverpool. From that occasion Miss Sawver rose to promin~ ence with unprecedented rapidity, an to-day is one of the most popular artists appearing before the public. For several years past Miss Sawyer has been receiving musical training and interpretation from H. Temple White, whose training and influence has beet largely responsible for this singer’s success in recent years. Miss Sawyer was a popular artist on QYK, and has been heard at frequent intervals oft station YA.