Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-11-25
EISTEDDFOD TO
ATTRACT MANY
GREAT WELSH SINGING FESTIVAL
AT ALBA THURSDAY WILL
DRAW oTTuMWANs.
ALL FEEL CONFIDENT
Director swlrIes Has Been Training
Singers Diligently and Expects to
Have Seventy-five Voices
In Chorus.

Confident as regular rehearsals for
months can make the-i., the Ottumwa
Choral society will go to Abba to-
morrow morning with a determine
ton to take all the awards for excel
lency in the rendition of good music
that seventy-five we'll trained voices
can hope for. Director James Swirles
has been drilling the large chorus,
quartets and soloists very hard in the
effort to make the finished product the
best that viii. appear at the annual
Eisteddfod, and the wellknown- direc-
tor and his singers feel confident of
taking at least their share of the prizes
and honors offered for the various
competitions.
We expect to go seventy to seven
ty-flve strong" said Director Swirles,
"and If hard training and repeated re-
hearsals will avail us anything We
should represent Ottumwa among the
winners"
Has Well Balanced Chorus.
While 1t is called the Ottumwa Choir
al society, the organization Is really a
collection of good singers of the city
numbering many who have never
affiliated with the musical organiza-
ton. All have worked with zeal that
begets success and during the last
week the rehearsals were doubled. The
chorus must necessarily be able to give
q good account of itself because of it's
great numbers. But numbers has not
been the chief aim of Director Swirles
| in the matter of chorus; nevertheless,
he has gathered about him good ar
Tray of the different voices both male
and female, making we'll balanced
chorus.
| A Large Chorus.
Seven numbers will be competed for
by the OttumWa singers and of course
| it is to be inferred that No. 10, the
last selection of the evening program,
will be perhaps the one great event of
the Eisteddfod. The training for this
competition has been hard and contin-
ual Director Swirles giving especial
attention to the chorus. Not less than
fifty voices are to sing in this compe-
tition and a great effort will be put
forth by Ottumwa to carry off the hon
| orS.
Choir of Trinity.
One of the features of the program
in the afternoon will be the singing of
!
not less than sixteen voices. For this
competition Director Swirles has
trained the entire Trinity Episcopal
church choir including the small boys
to represent Ottumwa. Special effort
has been put forth and the effect of
this as planned to be carried out by
Mr.. Swirles, will certainly prove
| grand. The little chaps in their
church vesture headed by the crucifer,
will march onto the stage from either
side, taking their proper stand after a
series of the evolutions that are the
practice in the church. The choir pro-
per will follow and finally Director
Swirles, coming down the center will
reach his place at the close of the old
hymn, Onward Christian Soldiers. "
All are to be in position in time to
close the procession with the entire
choir and little chaps singing Amen y
! The choir will then render the compe
! titive number as defined in the pro-
/ gram.
Ladies' Quartet.
1 No. 16 of the afternoon program will
be rendered by the following ladies in
! quartet: Miss Margaret Mahon, Miss
Regina Parks, Miss Genevieve DAILY
4 and Mrs. John Hughes. Mrs. Hughes
will compete in the selection of the
contralto solo, No. 8, THE Spanish
Gypsy Girl" The male chorus will
compete in the morning session by
singing No. ID, GLORY and Love to the
] Men of DID,
Miss Edmunds III.
During the evening program the fe-
male chorus will compete in singing
] No. 8, When Love is Kind" No. 10,
a soprano sole, Snow" was to have
been competed for by Miss Maude Ed
munds, but being i'll she has given up
the thought of entering the competi-
ton, much to the regret of the Choral
! society and her numerous admiring
friends. 1t is urged by Director Swirles
| that all of the singers and as many of
their friends as can. attend the great
| singing festival at Albia ThanlspiUino