DERRY'S IS MILITARY

Radio Record, 29 April 1938, Page 12

DERRY'S IS MILITARY

The Story of an Enthusiast Who Built a Great Band Just For Fan

Special to the "Record" by

ERIC

BAKER

OW does the man-in-the-street make up his mind whether or not he likes a band? Is he sufficiently versed in band make-up to allow for many factors, or does he merely concettrate on one thing? Possibly he is unaware of the fact that there is more, a great deal more, than music in today’s performances by any uniformed combinationfor marching, appearance and tone are almost equally important in determining a band’s success. ’ In the third article of a series dealing with the history of New Zealand bands heard through the radio, we now take the famous Derry combination-known throughout New Zealand and, through broadcasting, extensively overseas. Firmly rooted to the musical soil of Christehurch is Derry’s Military Band. It was founded in 1901 by the late Mr. E. C. Derry, and it was then known as "Derry’s Private Band’-for the reason that all the members were Christchurch players gathered round him by the celebrated Derry himself. Actually, Derry bought the instruments aud nearly all the equipment in the first place, and conducted the band without fee, just for the love of the work. In 1920 the band found itself in a flourishing position financially, and bought the instruments from the conductor. Derry then went to England in search of more instruments, and brought back with him a number of saxophones. Then he placed his "boys" on complete military instrumentation, and the combination became known as the most "military" band in the Southern Hemisphere.