Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

St. Kilda Will Come Again

Dunedin Band Can Write Extraordinary History Of Competition Success in Palmy Days

Special to the "Record" by

C. H.

FORTUNE

FEW years ago there was only one answer to the question, "Which is the champion band of New Zealand?" St. Kilda, of Dunedin, had for long years a_ record for shield and medal collecting that other bands can only hope some day to equal. Marching -usually a relatively weak department in a civil band -was always one of St. Kilda’s happiest departments. There was a time when the band could turn on a performance that made most military bands look bumblefooted. No other combination in New Zealand band Nhistory wou so often in the quickstey-wins made up from highest points scored both in music and in drill. Contest after contest St. Kilda carried off medals, shields, and other trophies. The band was established in 1901, and until 1912 was known as the Mornington Brass Band. Its foundation conductor was Mr, E, Smith, and under his guidance the men quickly obtained the skill and discipline»necessary to put them in the contest class.

IRST success eame at Gore in 1904, where Mornington won the B Grade championship, In February of the following year at the Exlgbition Contest in !Christehurch it tied for first place With the Wanganui Garrison, Wellington Garrison, and Kaikorai, in the A Grade own selection of Weber’s works and was also placed fourth in the uaggregate, In such a field the success Was remarkable for a band little more than four years old. The result established Mornington in the A Grade status despite scoffers,

In 1908, at New Plymouth, the band proved its grading beyond all doubt. It won the A Grade championship. Then came a break in this list of early successes. In 1909 finances would not permit making the trip to Hastings; that would have meant two North. Island trips in successive years, so it stayed out of the contest: In 1910 the band participated in the Dunedin contest, but despite steady performances, it was not successful. In 1912 the St. Kilda Borough Council made an offer to: take over the band, and this offer was accepted. The band became known as the St. Kilda Municipal Band, but the personnel remained much the same, and Mr. Smith still conducted. . NDER its new name the band went from success to success. In 1912.it won first place in the two test selections, "Madam Butterfly" and "Meyerbeer"’-with them the A Grade championship. In 1914 the cone test was held in

conjunction with the Auckland Exhibition. The band travelled north, having refrained from going to Invereargill the previous year because of the intention to visit Auckland for the big contest. The trip was worth while-first place in the test selec tion of MHaydn’s works. Then Hurope went mad. St. Kilda, like many another band, lost its finest members to. their service overseas. The band withdrew from the -eontest field and remained out of the limelight until 19238, when, now conducted by Mr. J. Patterson, it did (Contd. on p. 38.)

St. Kilda Will Come BANDS ON THE AIR

(Continued from page 9.) not shape too well. Toward the close of the year Mr, James Dixon was appointed bandmaster. Mr. Dixon was a born musician, and was practically self-taught. He had received help and advice from Orde Hume and other great men of the band world during the war, and had served With the Rifle Brigade Band in France. Under his control the band Was placed second in a eontest in which 23 bands participated. FTER several months’ training the St. Kilda Band showed an astounding improvement. Mr. Dixon had a fine personality and he knew what he wanted. But he kuew, more than anything else, how to get what he wanted. In 1924, and again in 1925, the band was only moderately successful, though individual instrumentalists, 4s always, collected their share of medals. Mr. Dixon kept the band at practice, and in 1926, when the contest. was staged at the Dunedin Exhibition and was judged by Mr. F. J. Ricketts (Major Alford), conductor of the famous Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders’ Band, it gained the Exhibition Shield, the highest points in the aggregate, and secured second place in the quickstep competition with a total of 2633 points. Individual performers were successful in no fewer than eight competitions. St. Kilda now entered the greatest period of its career. Its successes during the next few years, particularly in the quickstep field, were phenomenal. Whenever a contest was held and the St. Kilda Band was known to be participating, it was instantly nominated by the public as the winner of the quickstep competition. The prophecy was nearly always justified. In 1926 the band was second; in 1927, first; in 1929, first; in 19380, first; in 1932. first; in 1988, second: in 1934, first; and in 1935, first. In eight contests six wins, two seconds, and other less important placings. . . . Twice during this brilliant period the band did not compete, otherwise there might well have been two more firsts to add to the list! UCH as Conductor Dixon was entitled to credit, credit was also due to Drum-Major Donaldson. Yet, even he, great drum-major though he was, and frequent winner of medals, could have done little if he had not had the right men associated with him. The band was a band-a perfect combination of musicians, eager, enthusias- ’ tie, hard-working. In 1929 and in 1935 when the contests were staged at Wanganui and Timaru respectively, the band walked off with every worth-while trophy. At Wanganui it won the first and second test, the quickstep, scoring 2733 points, and was placed third in the hymn tests. Seyen instrumentalists won outright in their sections. It took the Besson Shield, the Conn Shield, the Hawke Shield, the Boosey Shiela, and the Champion Thacker Shield; _ £215 in prize money and innumerable medals. An incredible record. If the 1985 performance was not quite so good it was still magnificent. The "medal and shield band" returned

with £65 prize money, fhe gold cup fur the aggregate, and Drum-major Donaldson collected the Harrison medal and the gold medal for the winning band, Individual performers were again to the fore. N 1935. immediately after that triumphant innings at Timaru, the band suffered a setback from which it has not yet fully recovered. Mr. Dixun retired. He retired simply because vther musical demands were too great for hina. He had insufficient time to spare, fairly, tor the band and he knew his own limitations. He retired aud to-day devotes most of his time to conducting the 4YA studio orchestra, u tinely-balanced combination which, under his baton, retains the standard lo Which it was brought under Mr. Gil Dech’s temporary leadership. After Mr. Dixon’s retirement several older members of the band also retired. It became a shadow of iis former self. The Timarn victories seemed as if they might be the St. Kilda Band’s swan song. N June, 1985, Mr. A. W. E. Webb wielded the baton, and continued vuotil December 9, 1986. when Mr. L. Francis, the present conductor, was appointed. Mr. Francis had been a member of the band in 1926, but lett it to go to Wanganui. Later he conducted the Greymouth and Westport Bands, and obtained B grade championship victories while in charge of them. Mr. Francis is a comparatively youny man and very keen. Under his guiduuce the future of the St. Kilda Band seems assured. IIe has many young players ail of whom are as keen as the leader, and there is no doubt it will be only a matter of time before the band "comes again." Aft the 1988 contest, at Palmerstou North, the quality of the younger players was proved br the successes gained by them. QR. Francis, son of the conduetor, won the open boys’ solo contest under 17, and ID. Christensen. un 11-year-old lad, was second. In the tenor horn selection Francis was first. and in the open boys’ amateur cornet solo, the youthful Christensen was the winner, All were excellent performances. . A DEFINITE improvement has been noticed lately in public performa2uces, and in the broadcasts given periodicaliy from 4YA, Behind the scenes, Mr. A. G. Homer, fis secretary, has given loyal service for 11 years, haying been elected in N27. He takes his band work serivusly, and the success of the band is wt personal success. He himself joined us &@ Blaver on October 29, 1923, and has had sn¢cesses with the E flat bass, winning in 1927, coming second in 1923, and third in 1929. Though its lustre is a little dimmed at the moment St. Kilda’s star will shine again, Mr. Francis has much to do to bring the band to the high standard it held a few sears ago, but he is confident---and his confidence meaus a great deal.

This article text was automatically generated and may include errors. View the full page to see article in its original form.I whakaputaina aunoatia ēnei kuputuhi tuhinga, e kitea ai pea ētahi hapa i roto. Tirohia te whārangi katoa kia kitea te āhuatanga taketake o te tuhinga.
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/RADREC19380422.2.7.1

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Radio Record, 22 April 1938, Page 9

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,481

St. Kilda Will Come Again Radio Record, 22 April 1938, Page 9

St. Kilda Will Come Again Radio Record, 22 April 1938, Page 9

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert