BAND CONTEST

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 114, 27 February 1950, Page 4

BAND CONTEST

ASHBURTON WINS QUICKSTEP MARGIN OF 10 POINTS The Dominion Brass Bands’ Centennial contest concluded on Saturday with the quickstep, which was held on the Addington Trotting Grounds before an attendance of 18,000.

Woolston capped off a great run of successes by winning the championship grade. Ashburton Silver put up the best performance of the afternoon to win the combined A and B grades, while the C grade went to Masterton. One of the most unfortunate bands at the quickstep on Saturday afternoon was St'. Kilda. The band made its final counter-march approximately 20 yards short of the flag. This placed the drum-major in a quandary, as it then became impossible to complete the course according to the remaining flags. The result was the band was brought to a halt on the wrong side of the final flags. Before this unfortunate error, this combination had marched brilliantly. It cannot be recalled if the St. Kilda Band lias ever been last before in a quickstep contest. Results:—

ASHBURTON' BAND RETURNS The Ashburton Silver Band, under Drum-Major L. Davidson and Conductor R. Milligan, returned home by the excursion train last evening. A large number of friends and supporters gave the hand a warm welcome. After the band had played the march “Cossack,” with which they won the quickstep, the Mayor (Mr E. C. Bathurst) congratulated Drum-Major Davidson and Mr Milligan on the fine performances put up by the band all through the contest ,and he also extended congratulations to the soloists, who had done remarkably well in the face of such strong competition.

PRAISE FOR ASHBURTON High praise for the Ashburton Silver Band was voiced this morning by Mr F. E. Sheridan, who is regarded as the doyen of the Blenheim Regimental Band, with whom he has been associated for 45 years. Conversing with a “Guardian” reporter, Mr Sheridan -said that Ashburton’s performance in the quickstep on Saturday was one. of the finest he had ever seen given by any band. He could recall only one to equal It, and that was by the Blenheim band back in 1912, a performance which was still talked about by old-timers. “Right through the contest, in the hymn and in the selections, Ashburton performed brilliantly,” said Mr Sheridan, “and they were a credit to the conductor and the town. Every man in it is a man, and the conductor has some great material to work on.” Referring to the Blenheim band, Mr Sheridan said they were not discouraged, for they were all young and lacked contest experience. “There is always another day,” he added.

Championship Grade TEST MUSIC, “PERSEUS ’ (Hawkins). Military. Music. Total. Woolston 235i 136 3715 Wanganui Garrison 2385 128 3665 Kaikorai 2315 127 358a Wellington Waterside 220 132 352 Auckland Waterside 2185 .130 3845 Timaru Municipal 216 127 343 St. Kilda 1785 131 3095 A and B Grade Ashburton Silver 249 107 356 Southland Regiment 239 107 346 Palmerston North Garrison 2295 ,109 338J Wellington Institute 2195 114 3335 Palmerston North City 2275 100 327-5 Auckland City .. 2245 102 3265 Wellington Tramway 221| 101 3235 Christchurch Municipal 215 108 323 Oamaru Garrison 2205 100 3205 Crichton Cobbers 213 104 317 Nelson Garrison - 2105 106 3165 Blenheim 2105 9S 3085 Greymouth 210 94 304 C .Grade Masterton .. 2235 SS 3115 Gisborne City 2225 So 3075 Addington Workshops 225 SO 305 Wellington Waterside Junior .. 213 87 '300 Derry’s 20S 85 2935 Motueka 2105 82 2925 Auckland Watersiders Junior 209 81 290 Dunedin Watersiders 2065 S3 2895 Dyttelton Marine 1995 86 2S55 Lower Hutt Civic 1965 87 2835 Otahuhu Railway Workshops .. 1905 82 2725 Te Akarana Girls 1995 7S „ 2775