Provincial Pipe Band Contest In Ashburton

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32221, 13 February 1970, Page 17

Provincial Pipe Band Contest In Ashburton

Pipe bands from through- p out Canterbury. Marlborough 1 and the West Coast will taken part in one of the largest;: South Island provincial pipe ’ band contests for 20 years J in Ashburton on Saturday. About 300 bandsmen from 15 bands will take part. The contest is the first to be held in Ashburton for 15 years, and is being sponsored by,, the Ashburton County Scottish Society Pipe Band for the Canterbury-West Coast centre of the New Zealand Highland Pipe Band Association. Guest bands from the| South Canterbury centre will be Timaru and Pleasant! Point. Three bands will compete in the A grade section of the competition, five in the B grade and seven in the C grade. The day-long contest will begin with a street march and all other events will be held at the Ashburton Show Grounds. Bandsmen see the contest: as being valuable experience for the national titles which will be held in Wellington in a fortnight Among the competing bands will be the Scottish Society of Xaw Zealand (Christchurch:j Band which has been a consistent runner-up for A grade honours in the national championships for several years. Thehand will defend its provincial; title in the A grade section against the City of Christchurch and Christchurch Caledonian b3 The S Ashburton County Scottish Society Pipe Band will com-: pete in the C grade, and is. hopeful of improving on Its ‘econd placing at the proyincfii titles in Christchurch last rear Also competing in the, C grade competition will be the Methven Caledonian Society The street march will begin at 8 am. and bands will move:

;off at three-minute intervalsfrom Mona Square to march along Cass Street to Burnett i (Street, to East Street and fin-! ( ish at Cameron Street. Bands i will play tunes of their owm choice and will be judged on i musical execution, drill and i general bearing. i i For this event East Street, between Burnett Street and the post office at Wills Street, will be closed to traffic tor two hours from 9 a.m. Alternative routes for traffic via West Street and lancred Street are suggested. The morning programme at the show grounds will begin at 10.15 a m. and will consist of the test selections in all three grades. All the bands! will play a nominated test selec-i tion comprising a slow air. a march, a strathspey and a reel. The music judges appointed I by the centre are Mr L. Forres-! ter. of North Canterbury, and! Mr J. Dingwall, of Christchurch,! who will judge drumming and, ■ piping respectively. > The Mayor of Ashburton <Mr G Glassey*. will officially openthe contest in the afternoon! and the quickstep will be held soon after, starting at 1.30 p.m. The quickstep events consist i ' of a compulsory course with the' . bands playing a 6/8 march and carrying out manoeuvres de-( .signed to test the drill ability of the band and the control; ‘ of the drum-major. i After this the drum-majors , display will be held; it has! drawn six entries. During this] event the bands carry out drill' ■ movements of their own choiceand will play their own selection of tunes. They will be: judged on music, variety of movements and execution and -i over-all control. i The next event, the staff' [•flourishing, has drawn seven i entries, and in this bands will: i march over a set course while i the drum-major executes as many movements with his staff as he can within the course He will be judged on variety ; and execution of movements > as well as general bearing. Finally, there will be a : massed bands display when all ‘ the bands combine and march rover a set course under the • control of the winner of the drum-majors’, display event. i This will be followed by the ‘[presentation of trophies. i