Nelson brass band turns music into gold

Nelson City Brass was a big winner during the New Zealand’s National Brass Band Championships.

The C-grade band, under the musical direction of Nigel Weeks, once again took out gold in their category, the same award they won last year.

The championships were held in Wellington for the first time in a decade. They were staged from April 19 to 23.

Band member and secretary Wayne Jennens said the competition had gone ‘‘very well’’.

‘‘There’s three events on the stage and we won all of those last year and repeated it again this year.

‘‘Everyone was over the moon because a lot of hard work went into it.’’

Jennens said Nelson City Brass would be ‘‘promoted’’ to the B-grade after their second gold win.

‘‘After last year’s win they said we could move one grade up, but we chose to be in the C grade for another year to make sure it wasn’t a one off.

‘‘To be fair to the other bands we have to move up, we won by a quite comprehensive margin [this year].’’

Jennens said the band usually rehearsed once a week for two hours, but in the lead up to the nationals they had been practicing two days a week plus some weekends.

‘‘A lot of commitment for people, especially those with families,’’ Jennens said.

Nelson City Brass is made up of about 30 people, the youngest brass player is 15 and the oldest members are in their late 70s.

Jennens said the reasons he loved playing in the band were the camaraderie and friendships that were formed.

‘‘That’s probably the same with anyone that plays a team sport, well, it’s not a sport but more a team effort.

‘‘And we obviously quite enjoy winning too, because you’re putting all that work in.’’

Jennens said walking off the stage knowing they had done the best they could was the most important thing.

‘‘That’s all you can ask for, obviously to win is a bonus.’’

He said the long term goal for the band was to become an A-grade band, but ‘‘we have to win in the B-grade first’’.

‘‘That’s the long term ambition, the problem is that Nelson doesn’t have the pool to play it with like a big city has.

‘‘So you’re restricted to who you have in town and who you can get to town to play.’’

PHOTO: MARTIN DE RUYTER/ FAIRFAX NZ Bob Boodee, left of Nelson City Brass waits to play. The band won gold in its grade at the recent national championships.