Rita Masterton (1909-2005)
Professional Singer
Rita Masterton, a professional soprano, appears regularly in the columns of The Scotsman newspaper in the 1930's and 1940's. The concert in Edinburgh on 6th June 1944 must have had an extra thrill as the news of the D-Day landings that day will have been common knowledge by the evening.
Genealogy
Rita is Margaret Petrie Masterton, born in Perth in 1909 to parents George Rutherford Masterton and Margaret Petrie. She was married to Alexander Malcolm in 1938. Rita is therefore part of the large group of Mastertons from the Forfar area. Further details of Rita's extended family can be found by following this link.
Perthshire Awards.
CONCLUDING SESSION
At the concluding session of the Perthshire Musical Festival at Perth on Saturday, Miss Rita Masterton, who the previous day carried off the silver medal for Scots folk-song solos, was the winner of the festival gold medal, while she was also awarded the special challenge cup presented by the Federation of British Music Industries, for the best individual competition, vocal or instrumental, int he festival.
The Scotsman
16th March, 1931
Gold Medal and Trophy Awards
PERTHSHIRE WINNERS
The Perthshire Musical Festival was brought to a close on Saturday, when the premier trophies were competed for. There were five finalists for the gold medal, presented by Ex-Lord Provost Macnab, Perth, and after a keen contest the honour was won by Miss Isa Todd, Madderty, contralto, with a total of 259 points, the runner-up being Mr David Malcolm, Perth, bass, with 258 points. The special challenge cup, presented by the Federation of British Music Industries for the best individual competitor, vocal or instrumental, was awarded to Miss Rita Masterton, Perth, who was also winner of the cup and the gold and silver medals last year.
The Scotsman
7th March, 1932
8.0 - The Week in Scotland, by Alexander Keith.
8.15 - A Scots Concert: Rita Masterton (Soprano). David B. Robertson (Tenor.)
8.40 - Fan Fare. A Weekly Review of Scottish Sport, including Results, Eye-witness Accounts and Topical Talks, from Glasgowe,
The Scotsman
5th December, 1936
(UNIVERSITY HISTORICAL CONCERTS.)
FOURTH CONCERT
will be given To-day,
SATURDAY, 13th JANUARY, at 2.30 p.m.,
IN THE
UNIVERSITY MUSIC CLASSROOM, PARK PLACE,
BY
THE EDINBURGH MADRIGAL SINGERS.
RITA MASTERTON, JOYCE FLEMING, CATHERINE
MENTIPLAY, JOHN TAINSH, NEIL FORSYTH.
Led by Dr HANS GAL.
Solo Pianoforte - LESLIE LICKFOLD
TICKETS-Price 2/6, from Messrs PATERSON SONS
& CO., LTD.; The University Matriculation Office, or at the Door.
The Scotsman
13th January, 1940
NATIONAL GALLERY OF SCOTLAND,
THE MOUND
WEDNESDAY, November 5th, 1-2.15 p.m.
JEAN SUMMERS, Soprano,
GRACE JOHNSTON, Pianoforte
Admission, 1s {including Tax.} Tickets at Door only.
WED., 12th Nov.-KATHLEEN BELFORD, Pianoforte; WALDO CHANNON, Violin; PHILIP MALCOLM, Baritone; RUBY DUNN at the Piano.
WED., 19th Nov.-RITA MASTERTON, Soprano; Dr HANS GAL, Pianoforte.
WED., 26th Nov.-MONA BENSON, Mezzo Contralto; FRED FALCONER, Violin; Mrs FRED FALCONER at the Piano.
The Scotsman
1st November, 1941
YESTERDAY'S lunch hour programme at the National Gallery was provided by Miss Rita Masterton, soprano, and Dr Hans Gal, piano. Miss Masterton, possessor of a light soprano voice of agreeable quality, effectively employed, began her share in the programme with Bach's "My Heart Ever Faithful," Haydn's "With Verdure Clad," and Mendelssohn's "Hear Ye, Israel," a selection of songs with much to recommend it. A narrowing range of oratorio performances - the process can scarcely be carried much further - is resulting in the disappearance from public performance of a great body of beautiful music for solo voices. Miss Masterton's singing of her three oratorio songs yesterday was a pleasant feature of the concert. A second group of songs included two by Dr Gal, "The Joys that Fled", and "The Woodland Brook," gracefully conceived, with a good vocal line and interesting work for the piano. As solos, Dr Gal played two Beethoven sonatas, those in E major, Op. 109, and A flat, Op. 110, soundly artistic interpretations. He was also Miss Masterton's accompanist. Like all its predecessors, the concert attracted a large audience.
The Scotsman
20th November, 1941
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 1 to 2.15 p.m.
THE EDINBURGH VOCAL QUARTET,
Led by Hans Gal
RITA MASTERTON, JOHN TAINSH
Soprano. Tenor
DORIS SOGA, FRANK BRADY
Contralto. Baritone.
BETTY BALFOUR and HANS GAL,
Pianoforte
In Works by Morley, Weelkes, Tovey, &c., and
Brahms Liebeslieder.
Admission, 1s (including Tax.) Tickets at Door only
The Scotsman
6th June, 1942
TO-MORROW (TUESDAY), 6TH JUNE,
IN
B.B.C. STUDIO, 5 QUEEN STREET,
AT 8P.M.
CHAIRMAN:
W.J. STUART, Esq., M.B., CH.B., F.R.C.S.E.,
President, Edinburgh Y.M.C.A.
Speakers will include
The LADY ELPHINSTONE, D.C.V.O.,
President, National Y.M.C.A. Women's Auxiliary.
The Right Rev. E.J. HAGAN, O.B.E., D.D.,
Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
Sheriff J.S. MERCER, K.C.
Music by Y.M.C.A. CHOIR. Soloist: Miss RITA MASTERTON,
Cards of Admission from General Secretary, Y.M.C.A., 4 Queen Street.
The Scotsman
5th June, 1944
MALCOLM.-At 9 Grosvenor Street, EDINBURGH, on 21st April 1948, to RITA (Masterton), wife of ALEX. MALCOLM, 42 Craigs Crescent, Corstorphine, Edinburgh, a daughter.
The Scotsman
22nd April, 1948
The audience who filled the Reid School of Music, Park Place, on Saturday evening listened to a programme of works by J. S. Bach, which was both interesting and not at all badly played.
The opening item, Overture (or Suite) in B minor, for flute and strings showed this, for it was played with a confidence born of thorough training and no little ability which set the standard of string playing for the whole concert. It was a pity, however, that the flute playing of Mr Jan Fabricius was, at least in one part of the hall, almost inadudible at times, no doubt partly due to his positioning on the platform, which caused his tone to be directed into the side wall rather than out towards the listeners.
The well-known aria, "My Heart Ever Faithful," followed, pleasantly sung by Miss Rita Masterton, soprano; and the first half was completed by a competent performance by Miss Jessie Veitch and Mr William Kennoway, of the Concerto in D minor for two violins and strings.
The Scotsman
21st November, 1949