BANDS AND BANDSMEN.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5, 4 February 1905, Page 22

BANDS AND BANDSMEN.

(By

Presto.)

In two weeks’ time the contest will begin. The judge (Mr W. S. King) is to arrive a few days beforehand, and as he is the person around whom the interest centres 1 thought it would be fitting to give a brief outline of his history, and I am pleased at having succeeded in obtaining the same. Mr AV. 8. King, of Christchurch (more popularly known to bamTsmen as Bandmaster King, of the Oamaru Garrison Band), who is to act as musical adjudicator at the coming Auckland contest, is an Englishman, having been born at Hastings, Sussex, some 37 years ago. He comes from a musical and military family, and has been closely allied to these pursuits for many years. He came to the colony in 1874 with his parents, and lived in Dunedin for eight years, receiving his education in that town. As a boy, Mr King showed a. possession of musical qualities, and he sang in St. Paul’s Choir under Mr A. Towscy for several years. He gained, several first prizes for singing at the Christian Brothers’ School,, his singing masters being first Mr Russell, and then Mr U. Ward, the well-known ’cello master. Removing to Oamaru early in 1882 he joined the Garrison Band’s pupil class under Mr 11. Pheloung, and made such progress that he was admitted to full band membership and played in the first legitimate contest held in New Zealand, that between the Invercargill and Oamaru GarriSon Bands at Invercargill

at Easter time 1883. From then till 1902 he remained with the White Stone City’s famous band, and received a sound musieal education. Upon tiie retirement of the Hon. G. Jones in 1893 from the conductorship Mr King was selected to succeed that capable gentleman, and in 189 G at Duuedin he led his hand to victory in a keenly-fought contest for the first place between the following bauds: Oamaru Garrison, Wellington Garrison, Kaikorai, and Invercargill Garrison, which bands finished in the order given. Up to 1895, when Mr King retired from solo contest work, he had won five first prizes for trombone playing, and was unbeaten on that instrument. Mi- King was closely associated with musical matters in Oamaru, and acted as judge at the following contests: Greymoutli 1897, Queenstown 1899, Timaru 1903, Dunedin competitions 1904. He was selected to adjudicate at the contest that was to have been held at Hastings last November. and he tied with Mr Code in 1904 in the first ballot for judge for the Palmerston North contest, Mr Code gaining the verdict on a second ballot. Mr King, during the years he was associated with the Oamaru Garrison Band, before becoming its conductor, played with success on the tenor horn, euphonium and slide trombone, and with the exception of the bass he has had practical experience of the other instruments of a brass baud. Aucklanders will probably remember that Mr King in 1897, as Bandmaster King, won the Auckland Match and the Cup given by the New Zealand Natives’ Association at the New Zealand Ride Association’s meeting held at Takapuna. By winning the Cup again at Wanganui in 1899 and 1901 Mr King annexed it as his own property. He represented this colcny in the Bisley shooting teams of 1897 "and 1902, and won the colony’s rifle championship at Wanganui "in 1899. At Auckland in 1897 Mr King was sixth for the belt. While military matters and rifle shooting have been particular hobbies with him, band work has been his special study. This is generally recognised by his confreres, who have placed such confidence in him as to select him to judge the first contest, ever held in Auckland City. It is admitted that the struggle for first prize will be of a titanic order, and that Mr King has a severe task to perform: but his qualifications and long experience are a guarantee of a conscientious and critical judgment being given. When the decision at the last Crystal Palace was made known ami Jlebbum Colliery Band was first and the favourite Besses-o’-the-Barn sixth, many said the judges made a mistake in the numbers, but these gentlemen (there were three) said there was no mistake, and t.o settle disputes the two bands abovenamed arranged to meet at the Bradford Exhibition and have a contest between themselves, with the result that Ilebhurn again came off victorious.