THE BAND CONTEST.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15243, 3 April 1915, Page 7

THE BAND CONTEST.

OPENS TO-DAY.

The 1*313 Championship Band Contest', which starts in Christchurch-this morning, promises to bo very interesting, and with so many crack bands competing somo fine woTk should certainly bo ~ heard. Within tho last fourteen or fifteen years Christchurch has been tho deciding ground for three separate contests, one being held in 1900; inCan-' terbury's jubilee year, then again.at Exhibition time six years later and tho last m 1912. . ' The bands entered in the .A' Grado competitions" aro as follows: —Derry's Private Band (Christchurch),' ' C.X.C. I (Christchurch), 12th Regiment (Nelson), .Hibernian (Invorcargill), Tramways . (Wellington), South Canterbury (Timaru;, Garrison (Wanganui), Woolston (Christchurch)) Marina (Lyttelton),Garrison (Westport), 10th Regiment (Oamaru). - • The contest in the A Grado should bo most interesting. The previous champions (Wanganui) -were beaten last year ■ in Auckiand by South Canterbury, and the two meet again hero /to strugglo for tho championship. Tho - - .Westport Garrison Band makes ita first appearance before, a Christchurch audience, and it comes with a.goodrepu- .. tation. The 12th Regiment. Hibernians, and the 10th Regiment bands aro all well-known in tho contest field, and are bound to givo a goefd account of themselves. , ' " Tho B grade competitors are Onehunga, C.V.C., 9th Regiment (Napier), Napier City Band, and Kaponga,and the C grade aro New Brighton Marine, the Rechahitcs; and Enugiora. All tho bands will take part in tho Quick-step. Competition' at the Show Grounds to-day, which should be a fino sight. This mornins thesoloa start iv tho Colosseum, whero theselections. will also bo played. - .The. entries for tho solos aro asj follow :—- Championship cornet 5010..' 25; soprano cornet, .12; B flat cornet - (amateurs), ' 39; flugel horn, 13;- tenor, '20;*. ban.tohe, 12 tenor trombone, "15; G. tromTiouc. (i; eunhonium, 14; E" flat, .21;' B. flat bas>, 3; Bb fl.it, . 10; trombono v trios. 9; quartets, 20. . Mr P. Code, A.L.C.M.,. the judge, -■ arrived on Wednesday from Ballarat. Though young in years, he is but twenty-seven, Air Codo is _ veteran. in experience, and that he enjoja. the confidence of Australian _ bandsmen was manifested at the championship contest held in Sydney last Jand-. ar,\\ ' The judge at this contest' is elected by the competing bands, and Mr Code proved to bo their selection. Air Code's* father, Air E. T : Code/is a> well-known band contest judge, and - adjudicated at ono or two contests in New Zealand some years ago. Air Code, who is bandmaster of tlie Ballarat City Band, has had a strong taste for music ever since his early boyhood. At tho age of eight he waa learning to piny the violin, and throe yeara later, under tho tuition of his father, ho took un tho cornet, with which instrument ho subsequently won much prominence. In 1911 -he won tho comet solo championship or Australia at Ballarat. and- previous to that he had annexed tho soprano cornet championship for two years in succession. His success of 1911 led to his - engagement with tho "world-famous Besses o' tho Barn Band, with whom. . he toured South Africa, England, and tho Continent of Europe. Whilst .in England, he perfected his studies with the cornet under Air Alexander Owen, generally recognised as the greatest living authority on ' the cornet. Whilst on his travels, Air Code roceived tho offer of tho conductorship of the Ballarat City Band, which he accepted. Ho is also bandmaster of tho Ballarat Orphanage Band, conposed of lads ranging in age from J to 15 years. As the result of- tho ripe cxperienco which he was abloto impart, his bands at the last South Street Ballarat band contest won five out of six possible prizes, truly a splendid performance when the character of the competition is taken into consideration.

LAST NIGHT'S CONCERT

At the Colosseum la*t night a great crowd witnessed the first indication of the confine band contest, which was conveyed by the appearance of two of the visiting bands, the AVestport and Nelson Garrison bands. The Westport men opened with an Overture of very worldly music in very solid, style, and Nelson came in with selections equally removed from -sacred tendencies. - They held promises of assistance from a number of vocalists, largely of, "Competitions" famo, but only Miss Daisy Grant and Afadame Holgate among.the lady vocalists turned up, both. singing tastefully and good-naturedly." also •iome extra numbers to while away the time reapine well-merited . ap-. plauso, Mr Alitchell and Air Afcrccr rendered-similar service, the latter playing his violin soli in a very attractive manner, the former singintr best in his light tenor voice. "If With all your Hearts." Mr Sydney Brett acted reliably as accompanist.