Levin and District Brass can blow their own trumpets as national champions

Levin and Districts Brass band's winning champion ensemble.

Levin & Districts Brass are national champions of the large ensemble (6–12 players) event for C & D grade bands, achieved at the New Zealand Brass Band Championships. On top of that, they scored two 1st placings, two 2nd placings, three 3rd performances, and a 4th placing.

A travelling party of 39 band members and supporters attended the New Zealand National Brass Band Championships in Dunedin in the first week of July.

The band performed with distinction, with some outstanding results from the full band on stage and marching, ensembles, and soloists, president Chris Craddock said.

An ensemble of 11 members conducted by bandmaster Reuben Price performed Reuben’s partially composed and arranged piece Can’t See Me.

Levin were the defending national champions, having been successful in this event at the 2022 national contest in Wellington.

Reuben arranged this with some original compositions from a modern “rap” number, especially for the Dunedin contest and configuration of players.

Reuben’s daughter Bella Price, 12, on cornet, was part of the winning ensemble.

Levin’s other entry in the large ensemble event played well, finishing second with their rendition of Gypsy Rondo, arranged by recently retired musical director Colin Honey.

Further success came in the small ensemble (up to 5 players) event when Levin & Districts Brass were placed 3rd and 4th in a strong full section.

Levin’s best result from a soloist was Aiden West, finishing 2nd on soprano cornet in the junior cornet event playing Rhapsody for Eb Soprano – a superb result from 16-year-old Aiden who has been playing the soprano cornet for less than a year. Aiden was recently selected for the National New Zealand Secondary Schools Development Band.

Levin & Districts Brass gained further success on the street march which took place through the Octagon in Dunedin, being placed first for music on the march for C grade bands.

“Levin has always produced a mighty sound on the march, as evident each Anzac Day parade in Levin,” Craddock said.

Levin produced a triumphant sound, marching five trombones across the front of the band, playing the march Victoria, and was even placed ahead of several bands in the higher B grade for music on the march.

Once marching “drill” points were added to the music score, Levin & Districts Brass were placed 3rd overall for the C grade in the street march, maintaining our national ranking.

This was accepted with pride by band drum major Nigel Hewitt particularly as there were several members of the band this year who had never marched before.

Craddock said Levin’s best result on stage was a 3rd with their own choice major work Olympus.

“The adjudicator had high praise for Levin’s performance under the musical direction of Mat Johnston, leading the band for the first time at a national contest.”

Levin finished 6th overall in the aggregate for C grade bands in a strong field of nine bands. Musical director Mat Johnston said this was a building block towards attending the 2024 National Brass Band Contest in South Auckland.