Newspaper Article 1997 – Havelock High earns gold award

Havelock High earns gold award

All five Hawke’s Bay bands who took part in a National Concert Band Festival in Rotorua at the weekend returned home with awards.

The Havelock North High School Concert Band, which competed in the A division, earned a Gold Award. Adjudicators commented that the Concert Band’s strengths were in its “excellent technical skills and excellent musicianship.”

Conductor Tane McLeay, a 19-year-old brass and band tutor, was complimented.

The combined Lindisfarne College and Hastings Girls’ High School band won a gold award in the B division.

Hawke’s Bay Symphonic Band was awarded a gold in the A division and the Hawke’s Bay Concert Band a bronze award in the A division.

The Napier Technical Memorial Band’s performance at the festival earned them two silver awards.

The full band won a silver award playing their own selection of music and an ensemble of six members of the band also won silver.

The public will have an opportunity to hear the Napier Technical Memorial Band play when they give a combined concert with a band from West Auckland at the Century Theatre, Napier on Saturday at 7.30pm.

Hastings conductor John Snowling said Hawke’s Bay success at the festival illustrated the strength of the bands in the district.

More than 40 bands from as far away as Auckland and Christchurch took part in the event.