Shawnigan Lake School - Yearbook (Shawnigan Lake, British Columbia Canada)

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The singing of the Seniors was full of energy, and their sense of pitch, rhythm and style is very pleasing. In conclusion we feel that we must try to convey the deep sense of obligation which we feel to Miss Lonsdale. The school is most fortunate in having an instructor so able and so willing to devote her time and energy to encouraging our school music. The Physical Drill was executed with a precision and smartness which showed careful training on the part of the teacher and keenness on the part of the pupils. Considerable credit is due to Crisp on these accounts. Programme 1. THE ORCHESTRA— The Lotus Flower Schumann Hungarian Song Esterhazy 2. SONGS— The Seekers (Masefield) Dyson The Cavalier (Masefield) Gardiner 3. VIOLIN— Farewell to Cucullain Kreisler Fair Rosmarin Kreisler 4. SONGS— Alow and Aloft Rathbone The Mad Dog (Goldsmith) Dunhill The Juniors 5. SONG— The Floral Dance K. Moss Mr. M. A. Ellissen 6. PHYSICAL DRILL. 7. PART SONG— The Chase (Oxenford) German 8. VIOLIN— Elegie des Erinnyes Massenet Sarabande und Tambourin Leclair 9. SONGS— The Ferry (Rosetti) Ireland The Knight and the Dragon Dunhill The Juniors 22

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THE SCHOOL CONCERT On March 27th the Annual Concert was held in the Big School which had been decorated for the occasion with daffo- dils and ferns. The large audience of parents and boys and friends of the school, which filled the room, was obviously and frankly delighted with the music. The programme consisted of songs, violin solos, orchestral pieces and physical drill, and a glance through the names of the composers will show that the music which the boys have been taught is such as is calculated to train their taste for what is really good. Miss Lonsdale ' s painstaking tuition has borne good fruit and it is seldom that an audience has the opportunity of hearing such delightful singing as that of the junior boys. Not only did they sing well but they showed that they had developed a keen sense of pitch and rhythm, while their ability to bring out the dramatic moments in The Knight and The Dragon and The Mad Dog was really remarkable. The orchestra was founded last November. Before that time only two members had been learning their instruments. It consisted of first and second violins, double bass, flute, piccolos, oboe, clarinet, horn, trumpets. The solitary ' cellist was unfortunately ill and so the double bass was responsible for the solo in the Hungarian Song and, for a beginner, his sostenuto was really good. The oboe, after weeks of wrestling with his very difficult instrument, played the solo parts in the Lotus Flower (Schumann), amazingly. In the Desert Caravan one could really imagine one saw and heard the camels in the desert. This was due to the weird effects of the clarinet and to the rhythm of the basses. The accompaniments to Miss Lonsdale ' s violin solos were on the whole sympathetic even though, on account of Bishop ' s illness, one had to be undertaken at the last minute with very little practice, so that the violin had to accompany the accom- panist ! All the songs were accompanied by the boys who were quite on the alert. Not the least pleasurable items on the programme were the songs sung by Mr. Ellissen. The school appreciates his kindness in always being ready to sing and insisted on encores. 21

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10. SONG— The Sailor ' s Dance Molloy Mr. M. A. Ellissen 11. SONGS— The Pedlar and the Alderman Marchant A Golden Lullaby Ho wells The Captain and the Frenchman (Marryat) Dunhill 12. THE ORCHESTRA— The Desert Caravan Zamecnik A FEW HINTS TO WOULD-BE MUSICIANS By Our Musical Expert After much practice and study with some of our leading orchestras, I have compiled the following instructions and hints to budding players : Cornet — The best advice I can give a would-be cornet player, is to buy a mouth-organ or a Jew ' s harp. Horn — Fill the lungs with air, trample on all th e stops in sight, lay the ears well back and blow. Oboe— Don ' t. Double Bass — This is a very simple instrument to play. Two alternatives are open to the budding bassoon or loon, as a player on this instrument is called: (1) Take a couple of handfuls out of each string, saw up and down with the bow, and announce that he is playing God Save the King, or (2) place a gramaphone or musical-box inside. The latter course is strongly recommended. ' Cello — Drive the prong of the instrument well into the ground, then standing a couple of feet off, grab a few strings with a boathook or mashie-niblick, pull out a little way and let go. This is called pizzicato. Violin — Place the butt of the instrument firmly between the teeth, shut both eyes and rub up and down the strings smartly with a piece of sandpaper. This produces the most diverting results with a minimum of effort. Clarinet — A delightful instrument when played in the bath. Gives an exact imitation of a bottle of soda-water. 23