Courtesy of ODT – 14 July, 2010.
Three Dunedin musicians are national champions after the New Zealand Brass Band Championships in Dunedin at the weekend.
The triumph was all the more remarkable for Rose Evans (16), of St Kilda Brass, who won the junior flugelhorn section at her first attempt.
“I was really pleased. It was my first national title and my first national competition,” she said yesterday.
At the other end of the scale, Fred Knopp (82), of St Kilda Brass, won the masters (75-84) cornet for the fourth time.
“I usually mainly get seconds and thirds, so it was nice to get a first,” he said.
John Lewis (36), representing Daelwool Auckland Brass, won his fourth open championship cornet title.
“It’s been a difficult couple of years. There’s been a lot of upheaval in my life, but things are settling down again and I’m really pleased with the way I’m playing at the moment,” he said yesterday.
“I’ve got a busy year ahead with CD recordings and concerts in Auckland and more contests in Australia later in the year.
Somewhere in between, I hope to fit in a few concerts here in Dunedin.”
Other successes for local musicians were. -Tim Walsh, of St Kilda Brass, was second in the open tenor trombone; Rene Spoors, of St Kilda Brass, was third in open Eb bass; and John McAdam, representing Pelorus Trust Wellington Brass, was third in the open baritone section.
The 130th New Zealand Brass Band Championships featured 27 bands and nearly 1000 musicians.
Nigel Benson – ODT