Brass Band Championships

Brass Band Championships

The 126th Brass Band Championships were held in Dunedin since Wednesday and over 1000 musicians descended on the southern city for some hot competition.

The New Zealand Open Champion of Champion is cornet player Kevin Hickman of Woolston Brass Christchurch. He was up against many previous winners and took out the title after many years of trying.

The band competition was also hotly contested with 30 bands in five grades over two days.

The B grade championship was won by Addington Brass of Christchurch the first time for them since 1997. Conductor Iaan Wilson has only recently joined the band after moving to New Zealand to semi retire.

The C grade winners were popular choice of Tauranga City Silver Band while Roxburgh Pioneer Generation Brass Band took the D grade. In the youth section Pelorus Trust Wellington Youth Brass won the title for the second year running.

The A grade competition had an added element of two in–form Australian bands – Gunnedah Shire Band from inland NSW and Kew Band from Melbourne.

They both performed extremely well taking out several placings including two firsts in the Test and Own Choice for Gunnedah Band and third in the Sacred Item and Own Choice for Kew Band. Gunnedah’s performance was not enough to win the overall Championship. Woolston scoring eight points ahead in the Sacred Item helped them to another New Zealand title in 2006. Dalewool Auckland Brass were only a point behind with two seconds and a fourth.

Champion Band of New Zealand

1st Woolston Brass – conductor David Gallaher

2nd Dalewool Auckland Brass – conductor Nigel Weeks

3rd Gunnedah Shire Band - conductor Jason Katsikaris

Full results available on our website www.brassnz.co.nz

Ends

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