Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-10-13
Concert Artists Present
Splendid Program Before
Appreciative Audience

Presenting 4 program which in It's
diversity and genuine artistry has sell
dom been paralleled in concert offer,
ings in the city, Marie Montana, So
prano, and Bernard Ocko, violinist
won the appreciative applause of the
small audience of music lovers in at
tendance at the first of the series of
the Augusta Entertainment Course at
City hall auditorium Tuesday evening
Both artists have established them
selves by winning successes In impor-
tant concert programs and musical
competitions, and are representative of
the rising younger artists of talent,
to whom is being accorded recognition
on their own merits. Miss Montana
has but recently returned from France.
where at Fontainbleau she won the
premier prix in lie Conservative
American" for vocal excellence. Mr..
Ocko is q National Music League
scholarship winner and has recently
been selected as soloist with the New
York Philharmonic Orchestra.
On her very first appearance before
her audience last evening Miss Mon
tana impressed by her gracious pres
ence, and fulfilled her promise and the
highest expectations of her auditors
in her opening number, which was the
Mozart aria from Figaro. "vien non
Tardar." The fiexibility of her vocal
expression was remarkable, the range
extensive and marked by a beautiful
clarity and sweetness Of tonal quail
ties.
In the first group Of songs, the So
prano rendered I'll Bacio" (ArditD.
Sur L'Eau" (Hue) and "Chanson
Triste" (Duparc). The second group
of four numbers was equally as pleas
ing and well received and presented
with the same sympathy and under
standing. Miss Montana sang Christ
Went Up into the Hills" by Hager-
man. 1.-THE Lass with the Delicate Air"
by Arne, 1.-THE Silent Night" by Rach-
maninoff and 1.-THE Answer" by Terry.
With admirable technique and per-
feet poise, Bernard Ocko captivated his
audience. His vigorous handling of
several difficult violin numbers was a
manifestation Of his mastery of his in
strument. Always in harmonious
tempo, his several numbers were
marked by the rich. full tones of the
understanding artist.
Londonderry" by Kreisler, was the
first selection by this promising young
American violinist, az1 was followed
by a Shubert waltz, and then the Gard
ner composition, From the Cane
brake"
Though he had revealed his capa-
bilities in his first group of selections,
it was in the numbers presented fol-
lowing intermission that Mr.. Ocllo
demonstrated his wonderful versatil-
ity. In this part OF the program he
played with power and poise Dvorak's
Slavonic Dance, Romance" by Rach-
maninoff, "Contre Temps" and Ukran-
ian Melody, both his own compositions
for the violin, and the Francoeur-
Kreisler number in two parts, "Sicilia-
no" and "Regaudon."
Perhaps it was because the audience
of last evening was not over large that
the concert artists seemed more init
mately with their auditors. The APP
plause following each number was in
dicative of the pleasure and apprecia-
ton of the artistic renditions by Miss
Montana and Mr.. Ocko. Miss Marion
Kahn played the accompanies with
splendid supporting sympathy.
The program. which was the first of
the series of four of the Augusta En-
tertainment Course, was under the aus
pices of the Augusta Business and
Professional Women's Club. and its
high artistic order merited much more
support than that accorded.