FEAST OF MUSIC

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 38, 25 November 1940, Page 3

FEAST OF MUSIC

ST. KILDA BAND’S VISIT.

A PLEASUREABLE 'WEEK-END.

VERY ENTERTAIN! NG PROGRAMMES.

A week-end of musical faro such as Ashburton has’rarely known, and which to many people of the town who are partial to band music was a feast of excellent selections and solos, was presented in Ashburton over the week-end by the St.. Kilda Municipal Band, Dunedin. A visit by a city band at any time would have-been appreciated, but in this instance there was a greatlyadded inducement to residents to turn out to hear the playing in the fact that the visitors hold the Dominion A-grade championship. Conducted by Mr W. L. Francis, one of the family of hand conductors and players noted for their achievements throughout New Zealand, the band came to Ashburton with a high reputation and in all its public appearances here it fully lived up to the name it has made for itself.

The Educational Side. Apart from the very obvious pleasure which the residents derived from the concerts given by members of the band, there, was the fact that members of the Ashburton Silver Bank looked on the visit in an educational light. With so many high-class players, St. Kilda could not fail to leave an impression on the many young players who now form the Ashburton Silver Band. Men have been drafted away from the local hand in numbers that have caused the baud to call on the junior band for assistance in maintaining tho personnel, and these young players, receiving their early grounding 'in hand playing must have been impressed by what they heard and saw. Individuals in the visiting hand hold, or have held, championships and their performances in Ashburton on Saturday evening and during yesterday afternoon and evening were greatly appreciated, . not only by the Ashburton bandsmen but also by the people of the town, who attended in unusually large jiumbers to hear the concerts. There is no doubt that in this playing the young men of the Silver Band found an incentive to go on to good work with their instruments that would not have been forthcoming but for the happy thought which prompted the invitation to the southern champions to come to Ashburton for the week-end.

Arriving on the relief express train late on • Saturday afternoon, the St. Kilda Band was met at the railway station by a large number of well-wishers and by officials of the Ashburton Silver Band, the Silver Band Committee, and those who had notified their willingness to billet the visitors. Concert on Saturday. The band matched down East Street playing a lively and popular tune, and later, at St. Stephen’s Hall, took part in a variety concert given in their honour. The band played three items, and individual members played cornet and tenor horn solos and duets.

Mr E. R. Hopwood, conductor of the Ashburton Silver Band, welcomed the visiting band and introduced the St. Kilda conductor (Mr W. L. Francis). He said it was, with a great deal of pleasure that the Ashburton Band was able to entertain the southern men here. The local .bandsmen would be tho gainers as a result of the visit, for the ability of tho Dunedin men as musicians was well-known throughout the Dominion.

Mr Francis said his band had been very glad to come to Ashburton, of whose people they had heard a, good deal.- He did not think they w'ould be able to teach the Ashburton bandsmen much, but they would he glad to be associated with the local men over the next day or two. The programme was as follows: “God Defend New Zealand” and a selection, St. Kilda Band; song, Mr A. T. Zeigler; doll dance, Noeline Read; cornet solo, Master, D. Christenson; tap dance, Yvonne Kerr; instrumental trio, Dr. N. E.,-H. Fulton, Mrs N. Chapman, and Miss A. Ruddock; recitation, Miss Jean Rattray; cornet duet, Messrs F. and T. Pheloung; vocal choruses by Mrs (M. A. Constable’s girls’ singing party; Russian dance, Louise Brassett; tenor horn solo, Mr R. Jackson; song, Miss H. Drummond ; tap dance, Maine Wellman ; cornet solo, Master R. Francis. The thanks of the Ashburton Silver Band were expressed to the performers by the secretary of the committee (Mr A. C. Wilson), who also thanked those who had been hosts to_..the St. Kilda bandsmen. Display in the Domain. A part of the visiting band’s programme which proved to lie a most attractive one was that which was pre-

sen ted at the Domain yesterday afternoon. ' , The programme opened with the playing of two hymns by members of the Ashburton Junior Silver Band, conducted by Mr G. Whiting, and the items demonstrated how useful this organisation is going to be as a recruiting ground for members ol‘ the senior band.

The St Kilda Band then gave a demonstration of tho quickstep and tho smartness of their display drew frequent applause from the audience which thickly lined the northern sides of the Oval. From the rotunda the St. Kilda and Ashburton Silver Bands joined in tho presentation of several selections and solo and duet numbers, the first of these being conducted by Mr Francis' and the final number by Mr Hopwood.

The Massed Band was conducted by Mr W. L. Francis (Dunedin) and Mr E. R. Hopwood (Ashburton). The programme was:—March, “Brilliant,” massed hands; hymn' “Deep Har-. mony,” massed bands; cornet solo, “Entre Nous,” Bandsman D. Christensen (St.Jvilda Band); Rhapsody, “Slavonic Rhapsody,” St. Kilda Band; cornet duet, “Ida and Dot,” massed bands (Duettists, Bandsmen C. Leslie (Ashburton) and Ralph Francis (St. Kilda); euphonium solo, “Tho Cavalier,” massed hands (soloist, Bandsman T. Miller, Ashburton; song hit, “Smile When You Say Good-bye,” St. Kilda Band; hymn, “New Rochdale,” massed bands; march, “Harlequin,” massed bands.

The St. Kilda Band played two verses of “0 God Our Help” at the Centennial ceremony, “God Defend New Zealand” and “The King.” The Final Concert. St. James Theatre was almost filled last evening when the St. Kilda Band gave its final concert and the appreciation of the audience was proclaimed in tho loud applause which greeted the several items, among which was an outstanding number, the “William Tell” overture. Other items on the programme brought out the artistry of the band as a whole and of the several clever individual players. The average age of the members of the band is only 22 and if the oldest member is l not counted the average .comes down to “1, so that the merits of tho performances given in*Ashburton were all the more praiseworthy. The programme last evening was as follows: —March, “The President;” hymn, “Lest We Forget” arr. by W. L. Francis); cornet solo, “Silver Showers,” Bandsman R. Francis,; overture, “William Tell;” solo, Miss B. Millichamp; trombone solo, “The Jester,” Bandsman T. Mullins; euphonium solo, “Drinking,” Bandsman P. Wheeler; vocal solo, Mr K. Norrish; grand selection, “Festivalia;” hymn, “Downston Castle;” march, “Sons of the Wild.” Toward the close of the evening the president of the Ashburton Silver Band Citizens’ Committee (Mr G. D. H. Hefford) voiced the appreciation of the peope of Ashburton for the gestui’c of tho St. Kilda Band in making the trip to Ashburton, and referred to the value of the visit. Mr Hefford also thanked the people who had been hosts to the visiting bandsmen and the public for the generosity of their support over the week-end.

Very satisfactory collections were taken up yesterday afternoon and evening, toward the expense of bringing the band to Ashburton and the Silver Band’s general funds.

Members of the Ashburton Silver Band and those persons who had entertained the visitors were on the railway station this morning to farewell them when; they left for the south hv the express. Cheers were exchanged by guests and hosts, and a group jof local bandsmen sang “Why wore they born so beautiful,” with a. reply from a. group d#(the southerners.