John Lewis
The Dunedin sound has helped Australian bands win
Oceania's top two brass-band prizes.
The Gunnedah Shire Band won the Australasian Open
Championship in Tweed Heads at Labour Weekend, aided by
Dunedin principal cornet John Lewis.
St Kilda Brass conductor and euphonium player Steve Miles
then helped Brisbane Excelsior win the Australasian
entertainment contest.
"A couple of Kiwis went over to help the Aussies out," Mr
Lewis said yesterday.
Mr Lewis, an Otago Daily Times reporter, nearly missed the
competition after dislocating his shoulder while
demonstrating part of his routine to work colleagues days
before it started.
An ambulance had be called to the newspaper to attend to his
injury.
The Gunnedah Shire Band's win was all the more impressive as
it only started 10 years ago as a D-grade band and had
progressed through the grades.
"They're now the top band in Australasia, which is a great
result in such a short time.
"They've really gone ahead in leaps and bounds," he said.
The Australasian Open is an invitation-only competition,
which pits the best brass bands in the Asia Pacific region.
Twelve bands were invited to this year's event, from New
Zealand, Australia and Japan.
The only New Zealand entry, the Woolston Brass Band, from
Christchurch, was third in the entertainment contest.
Mr Miles will be leaving St Kilda Brass at the end of the
year to take up a teaching position in Bermuda.
His final performance with St Kilda Brass will be "Swing with
the Rat Pack" at 7.30pm on Friday and Saturday in the Glenroy
Auditorium.
A name, residential address, and (preferably residential) telephone number is required from readers who comment on ODT Online. These details will not be visible to site visitors.