St. Kilda Wins Band Championship

Chronicle (Levin), 31 October 1949, Page 3

St. Kilda Wins Band Championship

(N.Z.P.A.-

-Reuter.

Covjjriant J

jtteceivea ounaay, v p.m. MELB'OURNE, Oct. 29; ; St. Kilda Municipal Band, Dunedin, seored a, signal triumph when it won the A grade aggregate at the Ballarat Band Festival, including first places in the Test piece and own choiee selection and seeond in the quickstep contest and special .quickstep under lights. The judge (MrFrank Wright) said: "Ihave been agreeably surprised at the general level of the playing of A grade bands. The best of them rose to a very high level both in technique and musicianship. The Test musie and much of the 'own choiee' was of aeademie touch and gave to the conduetors plenty of scope for imaginative treatment. It says much for the conduetors that no performanee fell below an acceptable level. ' ' The march playing, which is peeuliar to AusLralia and New Zealand and not generally featured at contests in England, was also of a goOd standard. The playing in this section was virile and for the most part aceurate." "This is a proud moment for the band and myself," said Bandmaster K. G. L. Smith. "We did not expect to succeed as we did, and it is grand to realise the magnificent sportsmanship aeeorded us on our win." Commenting on the performanee of K. G. Smith, cprnetist, wlio played the solo "The Fatheriand, " the judge said: "Very few cornet players in the world could do that better." The ofiicial resuits were:— A grade contest aggregate: St.. Kilda (New Zealand), 347 points, 1; City of Ballarat, 341, 2; Brisbane Excelsior, 381, 3. A Grade Test piece: St. Kilda, 88 points, 1; City of Ballarat, 85, 2; Brisbane Excelsior, 83, 3. A grade, own choiee: St. Kildna, 90 points, -1; Brisbane Excelsior 87, 2; City of Ballarat, 85, 3. A grade quickstep: City of Ballarat, 171 points 1; St. Kilda, 169, 2; Footscray, 168, 3. Special Quickstep: South Australian Police, 85 points, 1; St. Kilda, 84, 2. The Festival was attended by 10,000 people. Marching with precision to the aceompaniment of spafkling music the New Zealanders were accorded a special ovation. "New Zealand can be proud of its champion baud and we are very proud of them too," said Councillor J. C. Rowe, president of the South Street Society, sponsors of the Festival. "They have acquitted themselves splendidly in every way and are ambassadors of goodwill as well as good musicianship. Their visit strengthens the bonds of Anzac." He read a letter from a noted English band authority (Mr J„ Henry Iles) urging that Australian and New Zealand bands skould take part in the English National Band Festival at Manchester in 1952. When the 19-year-old New Zealand cornetist, "Ken G. Smith, gave his solo, friendly calls of: "Send him to England." mingled with the applause. The St. Kilda manager (Mr. L. Gillions) said the trip had been a very happy one and the oppositien particularly strong. Many cables and messages of good wishes had been received from the Dominion. In the street march contest of A and B grades, which was won by Ballarat Soldiers ' Memorial Band with 36 points, St. Kilda (Dunedin) tied with Hawthorn for seeond place with 34 points.