28 TEARS CONDUCTOR

Chronicle (Levin), 1 July 1948, Page 4

28 TEARS CONDUCTOR

Mr. G. R. Lester To Retire From Position

When the annual meeting of the Levin Municipal Band takes place tonight it will receive the resignation of its conductor, Mr. G. R. Lester, who has tutored the players of Levin bands /for alniost an unbroken period of 28 years, and has been a playing member since 1912. At the meeting of playing members of the band, held last week, to elect its domestic officers, Mr. Lester intimated to bandsmen that he wouid not be*again offering his services as their conductor, as he felt he would like a short respite from band work, although he would be available at any time, both to the band and conductor, whom ne would help in every way possible. Tributes were paid to Mr. Lester's work and a lhotion was carried recording in the minutes the deep appreciation of members of' the Levin Municipal Band of Mr. Lester's services during his term as* conductor. Mr. Lester's concluding siatement, "I am a bandsman at heart and likely to remain one," ls no exaggeration, as it would be hard to flnd anyone connected with brass bands throughout New Zealand that has a record such as-his. Born in the nursery of brass bands, on the West Coast of the South Island, Mr. Lester can also claim to be an old identity of Levin as, with his parenls, he came to the town in 1898. He attended the school which was situated at the State Farm and later opposite the Are brigade station. It was at Levin that Mr.. Lester Arst experienced the joy of playing a band instrument — Mr. Sam Smith who assisted at the services of the Salvatlon Army teaching him to play the scale on the Augel horn. While stili a youth Mr. Lester returned to the Coast and went to Waimangaroa, which boasted one of the Anest bands in the South Island and included nine members of the Neighbours family. Mr. Lester attended the ' bandroom and applied for an instrument and, under the capable tuition of Mr. ju. Neighbours, was playing solp cornet for this combination 12 months later. "Bandsmen could be literally picked off the blackberry busnes in those days," Mr. Lester told a "Chronicle" repiesentative, "and players had to keep up to pitch to hold their place. '. Nearly every

viilage that boasted a hall had a band, and those that did not treaoed the bandsmen royally wnen visits ' were paid to other towns." Many humorous incidents of the early days were recalled by Mr. Lester, and also many of the ^Ane players he had been connected with. including the late Mr. Jim Cum.mings, a champion trombone player, who also * received his musical education on the Coast. whiie the Neighbours Bros. each played -one of the leading instruments in the Waimangaroa band. and reached the top class at contests. • Mr. Lester lef t ' the Coast and came to Wellington to join the Garrison Band in 1910, under Mr, Thomas Herd. Mr. George Buckley arrived in New Zealand about this time and also joined the Garrison. In 1912 Mr. Lester returned to Levin and joined the Levin Silver Band, continuing to play until in 1920. In that year Mr. George Davison retired and Mr. Lester took over the conductorship, a position he has held ever since. Besides being a member and conductor of the Levin band, Mr. Lester has had a wealth of contesi experience, having played with the Palmerston North Garrison Ban'd over a very long -period of years and having the distinction of playing all the solo cornet work in the test selection when they were succesSful in winning the A grade championship at Wellington in .1934. The only times a Levin band has taken part in a contest they have been under the baton of Mr. Lester. At Masterton in 1932 they were successful im winning the quickstep, hymn test and selection in the C grade and the judge remarkeb that they were better than any E grade band. At Palmerston Nortt last October they were successful in winning the quickstep and performing quite creditably in ihe other events. Although Mr. Lester has devoted considerable time to music, having played in the orchestras that have been formed for various events in the district, he has also found time in his younger days for Rugby, being a member of the Wanderers Club and also representlng Horo-

whenua on one occasion againsi. Taranaki. Recently bowls have provided a welcome recreation and he is a member of the Central Club and an ardent enthusiast of the Levin Indoor Bowling Club. Residents of the Horowhenua district_ will regret that*"Mr. Lester has decided to relinquish the position of conductor, but to have devoted a life time of service in tne interests of bands and nandsmen, as Mr. Lester has done, is deservmg of a rest from the strenuous duties that fall upon all conductors.