Brass stalwart reflects on shining music career

Jim Eyers was still at primary school when he started playing the euphonium. Almost eight decades on and he's still on song. Photo/Bevan Conley

When the Matamata music teacher slammed the lid of the piano down on the fingers of a young Jim Eyers, she was probably doing the musical world a favour.

She knew the seven-year-old was never going to make it as a concert pianist, but what she didn't know was that Mr Eyers would go on to carve out a stellar career as a brass bandsman, excelling on the euphonium.

Now 85 and living at Summerset in the River City, Mr Eyers can reflect on a musical career that opened doors across the world for him and his late wife Audrey.

The incident with the frustrated piano teacher prompted his father to do something that did New Zealand brass bands a great service - he ordered his son along to the Matamata Citizens Band practices.

"This bloke at the band room went to a cupboard and got a euphonium out and actually threw it to me. He gave me a little book and told me to come back when I could play everything in it," he said.

A fortnight later Mr Eyers was back at the bandroom having done as he was asked and so began a life-long association with brass bands.

The family moved to Wanganui in 1940 and Mr Eyers enrolled at Wanganui Tech. He was there until 1943 but left to take up an upholstery apprenticeship. His dad was off at war and young Jim thought his mum could do with him bringing in some money. He was 14 and "I'd had enough of homework anyway".

In 1940 he joined the Wanganui Garrison band. It was life-defining moment because there was Welsh tutor Owen Williams, who "could produce one note that would have all the beauty of symphony".

"He gave me five years of Friday nights tutoring. I owe all my success to him and Dick Tizard who conducted the choir at St Andrew's Church."

There were other things in his life, like rowing for Aramoho and playing for the Aramoho rugby league team, but he gave it all away for the euphonium.

Jim Eyers was good on the euphonium, earning a place in the national band from 1950-75. In between times he was conductor of the St Andrew's Choir and the Wanganui Male Choir before the family moved to Taupo in 1984. Even then he spent a year regularly travelling to Napier to conduct that city's band before the Eyers returned to the River City.

In 2000 the National Male Choir toured Wales and he and Audrey were guest artists, she on the piano and him with his beloved "eupho".

"She was the only one I had as an accompanist. She played in all the town halls in New Zealand at band contests."

They met at St Andrew's Church because he went there "to see the girls in the choir". They were together until she died earlier this year.

"The euphonium was the only instrument I played, It worked well with me. It looked good and I had a natural talent for it."

But Mr Eyers said the special musical relationship, and the best, was the one he had with his wife.

"There are some couples that just can't work together. One will think the other's upstaging them but we were able to share that together," he said.

He's still active in music, conducting the all-female Maids to Measure as well as the Summerset Serenaders which includes some village residents and outsiders. In July the Serenaders will stage their first concert of the year for residents before performing at other rest homes around the city.

The Eyers had four daughters and a son. Son David won the New Zealand junior percussion championship and got in the National Youth Band that toured Australia.

In 2012 Mr Eyers was awarded the QSM for services to brass bands, a fitting recognition for a man who's life has been devoted to music and his "eupho".

His children told me they're all "hugely proud" of their father.

"Since Mum died he's been on a really steep learning curve but he's willing to try everything to keep as independent as he can," they said.