Youth Finds Radio Wings

Radio Record, 12 June 1936, Page 14

Youth Finds Radio Wings

Young Talent eo on the Air

ECOGNITION that youth has graduated from the fledgling to full-flighted importance is strongly implied by next week's national broadcast programmes, and further than this, a 21-year-old Englishman, the Hon. Miles Phillimore, provides ‘Radio Record" readers this week with our signed article. In both the musi« cal and the talks features of the broadcasts young people have been brought to the microphone in increasing numbers in the last couple of years, and the probable extension of B station activities in New

Zealand should provide greater scope than ever to young people who can surely do many things’ acceptable to listeners it they are given a chance or a spot of training. "THERE is, of course, no question. of youth entirely supplanting the more mature performers. or writers, although it has been said nany a time that broadcasting is made for young people. One van best interpret that, however, as meaning that

"ae new medium of entertainment and information is best served by those with young minds. The same principle applies largely in the realm of penandink. America and Australia have developed their radio with almost exclusively young. minds. in both the technical and programme sides, and to rob these ‘countries of their young performérs would be to reduce the "‘listener interest’"" by 60 per cent, England, even with the lack of competition permitteo by the B.B.C. monopoly, has been réady to admit younge People into its staff ranks and into the programmes in greater numbers than was at first thought advisable, and it has. been largely the younger element in that great organisation which has provided many of the best and brightest improvements in the ‘progranimes of the: last two years. Young people have been given opportunities from time to time in New Zealand to show what ‘they can do over the air, but | recently there has béen a perceptible ‘increase in these occasions, and next week is perhaps, an example of what may ‘e expected regularly from the national stations. . The biggest ‘‘mass-effort’" of young people in next week's programmes will be the inter-university debate from 2YA and 3YA on Tuesday night, when six speakers wil] provide an hour's entertainment. Their subject will be that "The Savage is Happier than the Civilised Man." The afSrmative is being argued by the following students from. the Victoria University.College, Wellington: Mr, C, M, P. Brown,

Miss Dorothy Souter and Mr, R. E. Jack. On the negative side, from Canterbury University College, Mr. C. M. Bennett, Miss Dorothy Neale and Mr, B. J. Wilson will state their ‘case. These inter-station debates have proved steadily more popular with listeners. The subjects chosen have always : been interesting ones, and the young debaters can be celied on to argue a pretty case, ° . From 2YA on Tuesday, too, there is to be a further broadcast by Miss Grace Wilkinson, a young New Zealand contralto who, after some vears of distinguished and: profitable study abroad, has returned to this country to be received with enthusiasm by public and critics alike m both broadcast and concert performances. A Christchurch critic wrote of a recent concert appearance of Mise Willinson: "She displayed perfect legato and very high artistry’ and a vo:ce of exceptional] beauty." : On W-dnesday evening listeners to "YA for the first quarter-hour of the concert session will be given a musical’ treat by'three young Auckland ladies who are o play Bach's "Double Concerto" for two violins and piano, The performers will be Helen Gray (violin), Moya Cooper-Smith (violin) and Kathleen O'Leary (piano). Each of these young musicians has become favourably known ‘n the northern city, and their ability in combination. is considerable. Another young mau appearing. in nex week's. schedules is Mr. K. J. Scott, who is to speak from 2YA on Thursday night on ""Why do we Laugh?""-a subject which should cock the ears of-every listener with a sense of humour. People without a sense of humour shouldn’t listen, anyway. Mr. Scott, incidentally, is a frequent contributor to the book page feature of the "Radio Record," being keenly interested in literature, particularly from the psychological and sociological angles. In his talk Mr. Scott intends to approach his subject largely from the psychological viewpoint. One of New Zealand's gifted young pianists, Miss Sunday Mowbray, is a notable addition to the list of next week's young broadcasters. She is to play from 1YA at 8.30 p.m. Schubert's Impromptu in F Minor, Chopin's Nocturne in E Major and Beethoven's Rondo a Capriccioso. In the seaside suburb of Milford there is scarcely a person interested in music who has not heard of "Sunny" ‘Mowbray during the last few years. At an unusually early age she had won distinctions which entitled her to letters after her name of which many older players might well be envious. Her remarkable facility became evident shortly after she started pianoforte study as a child, and it would be indeed ‘ungenerous to suggest that she has yet reached the height of her renown. | : People in New Zealand have become "Oxford-con-scious" in the last few months with reports of the growth of the Oxford Group IMovement, which has been in the news in all big centres of population from time to time. . Much of this interest is attributable.to the. enthusiasm of the young man who has written our signed article for page 5 this week. The Hon. Miles Phillimore was. first introduced to/ "Radio Record’’ readers some months ago,.and those who) have met him during his stay in the country were impressed with his charm and sincerity. His is truly a case of youth leading the way,