CIVIC BAND

Southland Times, Issue 22508, 16 February 1935, Page 7

CIVIC BAND

LEAVING FOR UMARU. CONTEST NEXT WEEK. The officers and men of the Invercargill Civic Band will leave by this morning’s express for Timaru, where they will take part in the Dominion band contest, commencing on Monday morning. Mr A. R. Wills (conductor), Mr F. J. Logan(drum-major) and Mr G. S. Kelly (manager) and 27 men will form the complement of the band, which will be a contestant for the A grade championship. The Civic Band will play the hymn on Monday night and then will follow the quartet and the trombone trio at intervals, while the first selection (A grade) will be played on Wednesday, and the final selection on Friday. The concluding competition will be the quickstep on the Saturday, in which the band will also take part. There will be soloists from the band for nearly all the instruments. Bandsman R. B. Wills won the cornet championship last year and will be defending his title, as also will be Bandsman W. M. Wills, who holds the tenor horn championship. The soloists will commence on Monday morning and will be competing at intervals all the week. The band won the quickstep at Dunedin two years ago. Last year it was third in the A grade championship and second in the quickstep. It has been playing up to form lately and hopes are entertained for its success at next week’s contest.

Speaking to a Times reporter yesterday, Mr A. R. Wills said that the question of finance had presented some difficulty and the band was grateful to those who had. generously contributed in order that it might be able to compete again this year. The personnel of the band in addition to the officers is as follows:—J. Carmody (soprano), J. E. Wills (solo cornet), R. B. Wills and J. Storrie (first comets), A. Siddall (repiano comet). B. Boyer (repiano flugel), H. E. Cavanagh (second flugel), J. Henderson (second comet), F. J. Wills and L. Boyer (third comets), W. M. Wills (solo tenor hom), F. E. Lapham (first horn), C. Elliot (second hom), E. Lawrence (solo baritone), M. Blackie( second baritone), J. McKay (solo euphonium). C. Lemin (second euphonium), A. M. Wills (solo trombone), T. Stalker (second trombone), R. Waterson (bass trombone), G. Barrett and S. Cavanagh (E flat basses), F. Elliot and P. Crawford (BB basses), A. Veitch (bass drum), T. Hazlemore and V. Durant (side drums). It is expected that the band will return to Invercargill by the mid-day express on Monday week.