CENTENNIAL BAND CONTEST

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 120, 14 February 1940, Page 8

CENTENNIAL BAND CONTEST

Arrival Of Adjudicator

FORMER CONDUCTOR OF

ST. HILDA’S

Mr. Frank Wright, director of entertainments for the London County Council. and adjudicator of the coming Centennial championship brass hand contest, to be held in Wellington, has arrived in the Dominion.

Mr. Wright is no stranger to New Zealand. He was a resident of Ballarat. and already famous as a bandmaster and judge, when in 1933 he was brought over to New Zealand to judge the championship band contest at Dunedin.

. That, same year Mr. Wright proceeded to England, and in 1934 became bandmaster to the famous St. Hilda’s Band. This band, which originated in South Shields, Lancashire, had then won no fewer than six world championships. When Mr. Wright took it over it was a concert band, travelling the whole of the United Kingdom. At the end of 1934 St. Hilda’s Band again won the world’s championship at the great contest, held in tlie Crystal Palace, which subsequently Mr. Wright saw burnt to the ground. He judged the last, contest at the Crystal Palace before its destruction by fire, and also adjudicated at tlie first band contest held in Alexandra Palace, which, he said, was every bit as good for the purpose at its predecessor. In 1934 applications were called for tlie position of director of entertainments for tlie London County Council, for which position Mr. Wright was selected from 150 applicants. His duty is to supervise and arrange all the band and concert entertainments given in the parks of London, which are under the jurisdiction of tlie county council. Though these do include the Royal parks, there are 104 parks and commons concerned, and 30 bands are employed to play’ in them every summer. In addition, there are many concert and pierrot parties and children’s entertainments to l>e arranged. Mr. Wright is on f lic staff of examiners of the Guildhall School of Music, and is a member of the Royal Society of Music Teachers.