BAND CHAMPIONSHIPS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 16, Issue 400, 21 February 1947, Page 19

BAND CHAMPIONSHIPS

/1TH recerd entries from this country and Australia, the 1947 New Zealand Brass Bands’ Championship Contest, to be held at Wanganui from Sunday, February 23, to Saturday, March 1, promises to be an outstanding success, The previous Contest in Wanganui took place in.1929 when the St. K.lda Municipal Band from Dunedin, under the conductorship of James Dixon, swept the pool by winning the Championship and the Quickstep Competition. Many youthful bandsmen will be making their debut at Wanganui this month-an outcome probably of the greater interest in music now _ being shown in schools. There are 74 entries in the solo sections for band members under 17 years of age. The Wanganui Contest Committee has reduced the number of entries for the Champion B Flat Cornet Solo, this event being now open to players who have. been in the first eight places of champion and amateur cornet solos at any of the last five New Zealand Championship Contests, also in the first three places in the Boys’ Solo since 1938. Previously there were no restrictions on entries. Bands from three different grades will compete in the Hymn Test which will beg.n at 1.30 p.m. on Sunday, February 23. In the Test Selections there are nine starters in the A Grade Championship and 15 in. the B Grade. The C Grade own choice Championship has drawn six bands, making a total of 30 competing bands. ; The paper shortage in England has complicated the task facng the New Zealand Brass Bands’ Executive in Wellington of finding suitable Test selections, because scores and parts have been difficult to obtain. The works finally chosen are: A Grade: An arrangeinent of the betterknown works of Tchaikowski and "Salute to Freedom,’"’ a new overture by Eric Ball. B Grade: "Echoes of Schubert," and a symphonic poem by Drake Rimmer, "Spirit of Progress.’ The C Grade Selections are all "own choice." This also applies to the Hymn and Marching competitions. The chief adjudicator is Flight L‘eutenant Hugh Niven, conductor of the Brunswick City Band, Victoria, and he will be assisted by T. J. congas nend, Broadcasting Acréuasiiae Radio coverage of the contest will be through the NZBS mobile recording unit, which will record all the bands competing in the Hymn Test, and the A and B grade test selections. It is also hoped to record the winners in the solo eyents. Times at which broadcasts will be heard will be: Sunday, February 23: 2YA, relay of judge’s comments on Hymn Test, 4.45 p.m.; results of Hymn Test in national link-up, 6.40, 9.0 and 11,0 p.m.; recordings of first Pag bands in Hymn Li 2YA only, 10.30 p Monday, February 24: ‘of first B grade test in link-up at 11.30 p.m. Tuesday, February 25: 2YA, 9.30 p.m. broadcast ot one of the placed bands in first B grade test; result of first A grade test in national link-up, 11.0 p.m. Wednesday, February 26: 11.0 p.m. linkup, relay of judge’s comments on second B grade test and his annouycement of the winner of the B grade aggregate; 2YA, 9.30 p.m. broadcast of oe of the placed bands in the first A grade test. . Thursd. February 27: 11.0 p.m. en relay of vgs (as comments on the second A grade test and his announcement of the win- | ner of the A grade te; ead Fg 2YA, broadcast of the wii ng B grade test aggregate. Friday, February 28: 2YA, 9.30 p.m. broadcast of the winning band in the A grade test aggregate; 10.0 p.m. approximately, relay of judge’s comments and his announcement the result of the C grade, own choice.

Saturday, March 1: 4.30 approximately, relay of judge’s decision in the Quickstep Competition; 2YA, 10.30 p.m. broadcast of recording of winning band in the C grade own choice and recording of massed bands. Results of solo events will be broadcast by 2YA during the day on each day of the contest, and repeated in a national link-up at 6.40 p.m., 9.0 p.m. and 11.0 p.m.