BAND CONTEST

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 17 December 1936, Page 7

BAND CONTEST

461 ENTRIES FOR SOLO COMPETITIONS / ARRANGEMENTS FOR NELSON FIXTURE VISiT BY SECRETARY OF ASSOCIATION The total of 461 entries in the solo competitions to be held at the New Zealand Brass Bands’ championship contest to-be held in Nelson from the 15th to 20th February, exceeds the figures for the contest in recent years, said Mr J. G. Osborne, secretary of the New Zealand Brass Bands’ Association who is in Nelson finalising arrangements for the annual event. The secretary advised that the following were the entries received in the various competitions:— Eb. soprano cornet 18 Bb cornet (amateur) 55 Bb cornet (championship) 43 Flugal 12 Tenor Horn solo 50 Baritone 29 Euphonium 39 Bass trombone 15 Tenor trombone 34 Eb or EEb bass 35 Bb or BBb bass solo 27 Boys’ solo 49' Trombone trios 14 Quartette 24 Side drum 8 Bass drum 9 Total 461 THE JUDGES The chief adjudicator for the contest will be Mr E. P. Kerry, of Sydney, who was formerly a member of the Besses o’ the Barn Band which visited New Zealand about thirty years ago. Mr I. Goodall, the assistant adjudicator, is well known as the champion cornetist both in New Zealand and Australia, and is looked upon as one of the most able cornet virtuosi the Dominion has produced Mr Osborne said he was more than pleased at the response of the bands as there were 11 entries for the A grade and 18 for the B grade, making a total of 29. The New Zealand Association was very gratified with such entries, and realised that Nelson’s accommodation would be severely taxed. However he was pleased to find that the local housing committee, of which Mr J. A. Harley was chairman, had been able to overcome any difficulties regarding accommodation of the bands. Hotels, boarding houses and private individuals in the city had given the fullest co-operation, making possible the satisfactory housing of about 1000 bandsmen and visitors

. Mr Osborne reported that owing to the financial difficulties which some bands were facing, it would be impossible for four or five bands which had entered to attend, but they would be represented by entries in the solo competitions. However there was every probability that there would be over 20 bands taking part. He stated that arrangements were being made for two special boat services from Wellington to Nelson on Saturday, the 13th February for the transport of North Island bands. The South Island bands would travel overland. Mr Charles Trussell, who arranged Verdi’s work for the test selection, “I Masriad'eri” (The Highwayman) has written to Mr Osborne expressing regret that he will be unable to travel from Queensland to hear the selection played. Mr Trussell, who is now 76 years of age, expressed the opinion that the New Zealand bands would do justice to the selection he had arranged, and which the English firm Boosey-Hawkes had decided to publish in their musical journal in January, 1937. Mr Trussell was formerly conductor of the Nelson Garrison Band, and it is appropriate that the selection should be played for the first time at a championship contest, in Nelson.