The St. Kilda Band

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 6, 21 August 1931, Page 7

The St. Kilda Band

Famous N.Z. Combination

ee N last week’s issue of the "Radio Record" we printed a photograph of the St. Kilda Band. This band, always a welcome performer at 4YA, has had a very interesting career from its early days when it was known as the Mornington Band. It has always acquitted itself well at contests and won the highest laurels. At the Dunedin contest of 1926 it won the New Zealand championship shield, and three years later, at Wanganui, in 1929, it created a furore throughout New Zealand by winning both contest selections, and the drill and music in the quickstep. It is interesting to know that this band has retained the drill championship for the last four years. | This passes a tribute to the band’s popular drum-major, W. Donaldson. For some years now, the band has held the two Hawke Shields, both of these shields being for the North and South Islands, and are awarded to bands winning both test selections, quickstep and drill; in other words, for everything for which a band competes at a contest with the exception of the hymn test. In Dunedin the St. Kilda Band is always in great demand, charity work being a great feature of the band’s activities throughout the year. It is yery interesting to know that the St. Kilda Band has retained the same bass section for the last nine years. This is surely a record for a New Zealand A grade band, and the personnel of the band has remained almost unchangéd for some considerable time. Mr. B. Smith, tenor horn, has retained the New Zealand championship for the last three years, and

at the last contest gained one mark off the possible, while Mr. G. Lowry, who plays the flugel-horn in this combination, is the present champion of this instrument. Mr. G. Christie, cornetist, was last year’s runner-up for the championship, and Mr. J. Marshall, trombonist, has been runner-up for two years in succession. The business initiative of Mr. A. G. Homer, who for the last four years has been the secretary of the band, and of Mr. W. Paterson, treasurer, has placed the band on a very sound footing. All this, combined with the splendid esprit-de-corps, finds the band in a very happy position. Mr. James Dixon is indeed a brilliant conductor. The first time he handled a baton was as the eighteén-year-old conductor of the Roslyn Choir. His band experience was gained in the Kaikorai Band, in which combination he was "@" trombone player. Prior to the war, he was appointed deputyconductor of the Kaikorai Band, which at this time had the brilliant G. B. Laidlaw at its head. At the outbreak of the war Mr. Dixon went to the front, and in France was appointed conductor of the band of the 2nd Battalion New Zealand Rifle Brigade. In a contest in France, wherein fourteen bands were engaged, Mr. Dixon’s band gained second prize. Mr. Dixon furthered his studies while in England, and on returning to New Zealand joined both the St. Kilda and Kaikorai bands. He was eventually approached by the St. Kilda Band, and was asked to take the position of conductor, the position which he has held for eight years. Mr. Dixon is well known throughout the band world as a very fihe conductor. His strong personality has undoubtedly had a great effect in placing the band where it is at the present day.