BANDS AND PUBLIC

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 26, 30 July 1940, Page 6

BANDS AND PUBLIC

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —I read with pleasure the complimentary remarks of two previous writers to your paper concerning bands. As a bandsman I would appreciate the opportunity of giving my views relating to the work done by the bands of our city. To be a bandsman a man must have loyalty, discipline, the love of music, and be ready to give time and effort. In a year he will have to attend up to 120 times at rehearsals and performances. His equipment has to be maintained ready for service when called upon. This is all part of a bandsman's life. For a brass band of twenty-six members instruments will cost £1000, caps, uniforms, music, etc., £225, which has to be added to from time to time. Also there are association fees and conductors' salaries. From the initial costs set out it will be readily seen that, to maintain a band, the amount of money required is no mean sum. I congratulate the interested section of our citizens who have given, and are giving, their support, but would add that the future and prosperity of all bands by no means look healthy. The last two public performances given by j the Wellington Brass and Pipe Band Association were not encouraging to i bandsmen. The first rehearsal was held in the Wellington Town Hall on Sunday, May 19, in the morning; in the afternoon of the same day the performance was given, with no charge to come in to the public. The attendance 1 was about 200 people. There were ap-'

proximately 250 bandsmen, including the pipe bands, taking part. On July 3 the bands repeated this programme as a special request for patriotic funds, but the support given by the public was again most disappointing from a bandsman's point of view.

The time has now arrived when something will have to be done to enable these organisations to function, as I am sure that, with the few younger players coming on to take our places, the art may be lost through lack of support generally.—l am, etc., 18 YEARS A BANDSMAN.