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'Cecilia Parry, Auckland soprano ; Mona Ross, Dunedin contralto; Cara Hall, Wellington pianist; Bryan Drake, Dunedin baritone ; Ramon Opie, Auckland tenor ; •Gerald Christeller, Christchurch baritone ; " The Knaves," an Auckland novelty group ; and Geoffrey Moore, a New Zealand tenor who had been studying in Australia on a rehabilitation bursary. Other New Zealanders who toured the National stations were Hubert Carta, the New Zealand tenor, and the pianist and accompanist, Wainwright Morgan. A number of relayed and studio broadcasts contained works by New Zealand ■composers. One was a performance of the song-cycle, " The Desolate Star," composed by Dorothea Franchi to words by the late Robin Hyde. The composer took part in the broadcast performance of this song-cycle. A relayed concert^by the Auckland Lyric Harmonists enabled listeners to hear works by Dr. Y. E. Galway, Thomas Rive, Ernest Jenner, Douglas Lilburn, Dorothea Franchi, Henry Shirley, and Ronald Dellow. A recording of H. J. Finlay's " Trio for Two Violins and Flute " was broadcast from several stations. The service continued to give practical assistance to local musical societies. This •assistance included the loan of music from the Service's library, and, on occasions, of the Service's orchestras, in this way assuring a better standard of public and broadcast performances. A good example was the performance in Christchurch Cathedral of the Bach " Mass in B Minor " with Isobel Baillie, soprano ; Mary Pratt, contralto ; Thomas E. West, tenor ; Bryan Drake, baritone ; the Christchurch Harmonic Society, and the National Orchestra conducted by Andersen Tyrer. The services of the National Orchestra .and of the soprano Isobel Baillie were loaned for this performance. The production of the opera " Carmen " resulted from the co-operation of the Service with musical societies in the four main centres. For this production the Service released the Supervisor of Productions, Mr. B. V. Beeby, to produce the opera, and made available the National •Orchestra and singers for the leading roles. There was an increase in the number of talks and discussions, and 2,654 local speakers broadcast during the year. The All New Zealand Quiz, in which contestants from all ■over the Dominion competed, and the International Radio Quiz, in which New Zealand was defeated narrowly by an Australian team, gave further opportunities to New .Zealanders interested in this type of programme. The Mobile Recording Unit continued to record New Zealand speakers, bands, and musical groups, which might otherwise have been inaccessible. On the Otago tour, for instance, the Unit recorded the historical reminiscences of 118 " old identities," 41 choirs, 19 brass and pipe bands, 2 vocal quartets, and 2 Maori waiata. In Rotorua, too, the Unit recorded the following Maori songs, action dances, and spoken* matter : 1 powhiri, 2 waiata, 4 hakas, 2 canoe-songs, 1 patere, and 2 pois. THE NATIONAL ORCHESTRA AND CELEBRITY CONCERTS The 1948 season, the second since its establishment, was noteworthy for the variety •of work performed by the National Orchestra under the conductorship of Andersen Tyrer. In March the Orchestra was associated with the Otago Centennial Committee in concerts given by the English soprano, Isobel Baillie, and in choral concerts with male voice and combined choirs. These concerts formed part of the Otago Centennial festivities and were well supported by the Dunedin public. Similar concerts followed in Invercargill, the choir in that centre being augmented by members of the Dunedin choirs. In addition to her work with the orchestra, Miss Baillie gave six solo recitals, a half-hour broadcast recital at .each of the four University colleges, and a recital at the Teachers' Training College, Dunedin. Studio broadcasts were also given -from Stations 2YA, 4YA, and 4YZ.

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