Mrs. Ethel Budd

Mrs. Ethel Budd was not only a distinguished member of our Society but also a distinguished member of the musical world of Bedford. She was an ardent supporter of Ernest George White's theories on voice production, and would have been amongst the first of the registered teachers of S. T .P.

Her successes in the field of music are too numerous to mention, but the two choirs she conducted in Bedford namely the Bedford Ladies Choir and the Bedford Mixed Voice Choir, were consistently successful in music festivals and competitions gaining in most cases, firsts. The above mentioned choirs also broadcast under her direction for the BBC Home Service, as it was then, in the 1950's. Mrs. Budd's contribution to the musical world was very notable and many of her individual pupils performed with distinction.

To close this obituary of Mrs Budd, let us quote the praise given to her and the Bedford Ladies Choir by the composer Michael Head, after winning the Female Voice Choirs Class at the 1950 Leamington Music Festival. Michael Head was the adjudicator. He commended the choir for their most beautiful "use of words and tone', and the well produced voices of the choir. Later, in a private interview with Mrs. Budd, he said, "I feel I must congratulate you " on this performance, you are not only teaching this choir the real-* meaning of the words, but you are teaching the members how to produce their voices correctly. The tone is superb, round and pure". Mrs. Budd said, "of course I told him I was an exponent of Sinus Tone. He made no comment!".