CHAMPION BANDS

Wairarapa Age, 22 February 1927, Page 5

CHAMPION BANDS

THE DOMINION CONTEST.

FIRST DAY’S EVENTS. RESULTS OF SOLO TESTS. WELLINGTON, February 21. The championship band contest opened here to-day, over thirty bands participating. The visitors were accorded a civic welcome at the Basin Reserve where they played several selections to a large attendance.

A grade bands on Wednesday and Friday evenings will be giving their performances of the two test selections, “Lortzing” and “Gounod.” The B grade bands have two very pretty test numbers in the selections from Mozart’s “Il Flauto Magico” and Auber’s “Fra Diavolo,” bright, sparkling, and captivating music being the characteristic of each work. Tuesday and Thursday evenings have been set aside for the B grade tests. PARTICIPATING BANDS.

Thirteen A. Grade bands have entered for championship honours, and 23 B Grade bands. The following is a list of the entries: A. Grade, St. Kilda. Muncipal, Palmerston North Municipal, Wanganui Garrison, Greymouth Municipal, Wellington Tramways, Christchurch Municipal, Ist Canterbury Mounted Rifles, Woolston, Ist Battalion Southland Regiment, Port Nicholson Silver, Queen Alexandra’s, Kaikorai, and Timaru Municipal. Tho B Grade entries are: Miramar, Oamaru Municipal, sth Mounted Rifles (Oamaru), Onehunga Citizens’, Petone Central, New Plymouth Citizens’, Hamilton Municipal, Auckland Waterside Workers’, Stratford Citizens’, Hastings Citizens’, Invercargill Civic, Damnevirke Municipal, Dunedin City Tramways, Taranaki Regimental, Nelson Garrison, Masterton Municipal, Jupp’s Silver, Hawera Municipal, Ist Battalion Regimental (Wellington), Lower Hutt Municipal, Gisborne City, Port Auckr land, and Central Mission (Wellington). Mr. W. A. Halliwell, a noted conductor and critic from England, is adjudicator and is being assisted by Captain T. Herd, whose name is familiar in Australian and New Zealand band circles. It was Captain Herd who was conductor of tho New Zealand, band which visited England some thirty years ago, and he has acted as adjudicator in many a Dominion band contest since that date. THE DAY’S RESULTS.

Following are the results of the classes decided to-day:— G. Trombone, test piece “Zenobia”: L. Willicombe (Dannevirke Municipal), 99 pts, 1; K. S. M. Crouchier (Hamilton), 97 pts, 2. F. Hale (Wanganui Garrison), 964 pts, 3. E E Flat Bass, test piece, “The Hardy Norseman”: J. P. Cowlishaw (Palmerston North), 98 pts, 1; P. Trethway (Wellingtom Tramways), 97 pts, 2.

Boys’ Solo (own choice): L. Moody (Woolston), 80 pts, 1; Dick Wills (Invercargill Civic), 79 pts, 2. Hymn Contest (McLeod Cup): Greymouth Battalion 29 pts, 1; St. Kilda and Kaikorai 28 pts., equal, 2; Queen Alexandra’s Own (Wanganui) 27 pts, 4.

The judge spoke of the fine and correct rendering of the hymn from the words’ point of view. The playing of the leading bands exceeded his anticipations.—(P.A.).