37 YEARS' COMPETITION

Radio Record, 5 August 1938, Page 10

37 YEARS' COMPETITION

Dunedin Society ~Encourages Yong Entertainers 7"8 Special to the sRecord

by

C. H.

FORTUNE

"ey on ODIO atlas aa US " "WAY: Back : at ‘the -begintting bi this ‘eativany some "enterprising people’ formed’ the "Dun"edin Comipetitions "Socjety,-.and | at ‘the. first trials they held :were disappointed. to hear the judge of. the -elocution--section"say, ‘wedrily; after long consideration of. a: well-known draper who had béen.. articulating. in "front. of him: "OL a poor. Tot. of competitors, I place Blank first !" .. That. sorrowful,but- witty, judge, -was. the late Mr. F. -H> Whitson: : Since: he*first" weighed-and found wanting-tho talents. of" Dunedin ‘would- be entertainers, | many, ‘judgments live bésp.'made and spoken. : But never again. has" there’ been" anything. : SO ctitting as Mt, Whitsonts faint’ ‘praise, Te! i. ~T Wér’ the’ Dunedin, Society has grows be-* youd recognition since. its, humble beginnings in 1902, Not. only’ is ‘it the. oldést competitions society in New Zealand, but’ it is ‘the ‘only’ one. that" can: ‘fook back upon -a.. record 6f much feal and steady distinction." It is hardly fair-here to make * comparisons between Dutedin and northern cen: tres, but at least in the ‘South Island Christchurch supports the sole society that may challenge . Dunedin.

‘HE seed of the Dunedin group. was ~ "planted in 1901 by Mr..©. G, headmaster of the ‘Macandrew. Road School, who .returned from an Australian trip full of enthusiasny for the educational as well. as the ‘en: tertainirent value of competitions whieh he had seen .i Ballarat, .On Febrnarv. 11, 1902, Mr. Smeaton called a_ public neeting.. outlined. the procedure at Rallarat.-and. pointed ant such. ecomnetitions. were not ehildish but of great imnortanee in the develop. ment of mneteat instinets, The following: . nonth : the Dunedin: Camnetitians Gneisty was formed, Pre sident wag the Mayor, Mr. G. TL. -Penniston and. the eommittée eAamprised Messrs. J A -Park Mo Cohen, J. BP. Kirby,-& Sotomon, J. AH Hosking, -4. CC Aenlon FF %.Tiggins DP «MM: Pintk lay, T. Whitson end "the Rey We Cnrean siggers Wr Smeaton’ and ’\iyr * F 1 Graee were aonointed secretaries, and Vr G@° C& [srael wae treasurer, ~ All these were prominent -in -bitsinesg’ er their professions, and to-day the’

committee is still as representative of.. professional and. . teaching- sections... "ae thus-becanie. the parent of competitions societies in New Zealand. Other societies were formed subsequently in northern. centrés, but ".in..37 years Dunedin alone has never missed .a session. .. . And this recalls.a rather amusing ° story.': "The Auckland society, later:to be: disbanded, ‘at one ‘stage in its caréer_Offered. a’ grand piano. for thé ‘winning: soloist in» the . principal piano section. Fortwo. years. -..in.. succéssion..2 Dunedin competitor. travelled.-north’ and calmly took‘the piano, ‘Thereafter grand. pianos. disappeared from the. Auckland prize ‘ist !. : Nevertheless, for all its« ‘the Dunedin . has‘ been through bad times, particularly duritig~the -Gréat’ War and the: depression. ‘The year’ 1914. was-critical. At-

Tangements for ‘the festival "were well in hand-when war broke ott. A reduc tion in entries: threatened financial: ‘loss; but. the society decided: to Keep faith with: ts competitors. The- ‘gesture cost: During the war Gnanciai awards were not made; but although competi-. tors were given only certificates ‘they. came forward as eagerly as: ever, ‘Pub:. lie attendances were excellent,’ and thus’ the society: recovered from the. ‘heavy. loss in 1914. — atte HE: first festival ‘was held. in Bee ' Matthew's schoolroom- quite . 2 modest affair. Next year the engaged His Maiesty’s Théatre, -and, ‘apart’ from a cessation between. 1914., and, 1918, bas taken the theatre, every.. init sinee "for two and ag half weeks. Jin Atignst and early" Sentember... ‘Masérs John Fuller. and Sons, often losing . revenne from other. Som rees;have faithfully kent the hooking anen: Latterly the society has required. not ! only His Majesty’s (Contd, a) 86)o:

Young Entertainers Ee

DUNEDIN SUCCESS . (Continued from page 10.) Theatre, but Burns Hall and the Concert Chamber also in order to complete its syllabus on time. Hach year since the Town Hall was opened a grand finale has been staged there. The society’s festival has become definitely part of the life of the city. Moreover, a hall-mark has been set on the activities of the society by its recognition in London by the Trinity College of Music, which now annually sends highly-qualified men to adjudicate during the festival. The first of the Trinity College judges was Mr. Adolph Mann, who came out in the society’s thirty-fifth year (1936) to adjudicate in the grand choral opera aria and chief pianoforte sections. Mr. Mann was enthusiastic over the standard of work, and sent glowing reports to London. That year the grand choral contest for a prize of £100 attracted the best choirs from all over the South Island and packed the Town Hall with a capacity audience of 3000. Mr. Mann’s enthusiasm encouraged Trinity College, when application was made by the society last year for a judge of the vocal music, to send Mr. Anderson Tyrer. He proved most helpful, and said the standard at Dunedin equalled that at major festivals in England. And so this year there are two judges coming from London. Dr. James Lyon and Dr, Edgar Ford wiil adjudicate in the vocal and instrumental sections. NE thing that the society appreciates as an important factor in its growth is the support given it by business men. Year after year valuable money prizes, cups, shields and other trophies are awarded by generous firms. One of the most coveted trophies is the Moller Trophy, an exquisitely-fashioned solid silver miniature grand piano, valued at £100, donated by Mr, E, T. Moller for competition in the chief pianoforte solo. This year Mr. Moller has donated a special shield for competition in a new section-the versespeaking ¢hoir. In active assistance, something of a record has been set up by the secretary, Mr. BE. S. Wilson, Although one of the busiest men {jn Dunedin, he has managed to carry out his duties as secretary of the society for over 30 years. ADDED to the workers behind scenes are dozens of other names which have helped to set the Dunedin society on firm foundations. What of the com- petitors thetnselves who have gone ou from festival honours to win new laurels? How many would have gone as far had they not taken part in competitions is 2 moot point: the fact remaing they became known to the public at the outset through their performances on the competition stage. First there is Hrnest McKinlay, whose voice is well known to most radio listeners. Warwick Braithwaite became a pianist and orchestral conductor in Pngtand; Vera Moore gave fine performances on the piano in London and the English provinces; Stella Murray Wag successful as a contralto in Eng-

land and the States; Kathleen Levi's eareer was a paralle] to that of Vera Moore; Arthur Alexander (formerly Arthur Isaacs) gained. his reputation as a pianist, and is to-day a noted composer; Denis Dowling is making a name for himself in London;:' Mabe! Esquilant is another contralto who wou popularity in England: Walter Mitchell’s splendid baritone yoice de. lighted Australia; Jerome Paterson gained laurels for his acting in the States and England; Bathie Stewart, New -Zealand Government publicity agent in California, is known for her radio talks. Here are a few of many who have won recognition beyond our shores. Within New Zealand there are many that are household names: Bertha Rawlinson, Rita Holmes, H, P, Desmoulins (popular leader of Dunedin’s community sings and conductor of the Glee Singers), F. B. Adams (to-day Crown Prosecutor), J. G. Warrington. Bessie Thomson (producer-in-chief of the Dunedin Repertory Society), Jean Lennox, Andrey Stock, Jessie McLennan (her future no one can predict--the sky’s her limit), Charles Martin, Mary Pratt, Les Dalley, John Leech, F, G. Taplin. Leading lights of the Dunedin amateur theatre and of the music-teaching profession Who have also competed are: Helen Gardner, Meda Paine, Dorothy Sligo, Mollie Andrews, Freda Elmes, Roma Buss, Molly Vickers, Gwenda Burt, Daphne Murdock, Johr Hagzitt, Alfred. Walmsley, James MacFarlane, Nanna Newey, Cora Duff, Lily Stevens, Koa Oliver, Lawrence North, Arthur Lungley, Florence Pacey, Elsie McPeak, Anita Winkel, Madge Yates, Shiela Neilson, Stan Lawson and Reynolds Herbert. Undoubtedly, the Dunedin society has brought forth the lights from hehind many bushels. There are some people, I know. who disapprove of competition festivals, charging them with fostering jealousy. and _ selfishness. » Some hold that those who win applause on the competition boards during the short festivals afterwards go no further, I wonder how much truth lies in that contention, Surely the record of the Dunedin Competitions Society is a strong rebuttal.