BALLARAT BAND CONTEST.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 18019, 6 November 1920, Page 8

BALLARAT BAND CONTEST.

Ballarat papers to hand give the results of the recent big annual Band Contest held in that great. Australian musical centre. The competitions concluded on Saturday, October 23rd. when the results were announced, and was the first contest on a scale of any magnitude since the outbreak of war in 1911. ■ The A Grade competition was won by the Malvern Tramways Band, which scored 139 in the test selection and 148 in its “own choice.” total 287. The NeWtown (Sydney) and Ipswich (Queensland) Bands tied for second place with 268 each, the former scoring 128 and 140 and the latter 131 and 137. City of Ballarat was fourth with 262, South Sydney 256, and Timaru (New Zealand) 245. Mr Partington, of the Wanganui Garrison Band, conducted the Ipswich Band.

There were two other ties in the Quickstep competition. Ipswich and South Sydney dividing houors for first place with 189 points each, and Malvern and City of Ballarat each 186 J, Timaru 184, and Newtown 168*. For the Boosey Shield the totals were: Malvern 473 1. Ipswich 457, City of Ballarat 448; South Sydney 445, Newtown 437 J, and Timaru 429. The B Grade competition was won by Glenelg 282, City of Ballarat 178, Wonthagge 256, Brunswick 255.

The Victorian Socialist Band won the C Grade with 239 points, Prout’s Ballarat. Band 228. While awaiting the results of the contests, special selection and quickstep competitions were arranged for Saturday evening, though some of the bandsmen did not appear to take these over seriously. Timaru won both these events.

In. commenting on the results, the adjudicator (Mr Christopher Smith, late conductor of the Besses o’ th’ Barn Band) said that the work of the A Grade bands was superior to the best performances he had heard at the Belle Vue and Crystal Palace, the two leading brass band competitions in England.