ST. KILDA BAND

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28129, 19 November 1956, Page 14

ST. KILDA BAND

MR K. SMITH RESIGNS CONDUCTORSHIP

(New Zealand Press Association) DUNEDIN, November 18. One of New Zealand’s leading A grade bands. St. Kilda. has lost the services of its conductor (Mr Ken Smith), whose resignation has been accepted by the committee of the band. Mr Smith did not attend practices of the band after walking out from a rehearsal on November 5 after a difference with members of the committee. On the previous day the band had played at Broad Bay. but neither Mr Smith nor the deputyconductor (Mr A. Brieseman) was present. Mr Smith took over St. Kilda in May, 1954, from his father, whose successes with the National Band overseas won for him international recognition. Mr Smith, sen., resigned from St. Kilda. soon after returning frorp the United Kingdom, to take over the conductorship of the Hamilton Band, which was then a C grad* combination. After an outstanding career as a cornetist in New Zealand, Mr Ken Smith went to England, where n« was warmly acclaimed both as a player and a leader of musical groups. His appointment to St. Kilda at the age or 24 made him the youngest A grade conductor in the country.