Anthony Smith, the principal cornet of Woolston Brass has claimed the prestigious 2021 New Zealand 'Champion of Champions' solo title.

His performance of 'Myths & Legends' by Bertrand Moren set the classy marker that a dozen high quality individual award winner rivals could not match at engrossing event held at thet James Hay Theatre at Christchurch Town Hall and broadcast by www.brassbanned.com

Runner-up was Open Percussion title holder and former two-time winner Rachel Thomas of North Shore Brass, who performed the third movement of the 'Concerto for Marimba and Strings' by Eric Ewazen, whilst the final podium place went to Murray Borthwick. The veteran tenor horn player, also representing North Shore Brass, performed Bellstedt's, 'Capriccio Brillante'.

Stunning playing

The adjudicators David Gallaher MNZM, Alan Spence QSM and Michael Dowrick of the Royal New Zealand Navy Band, admitted that the final had been a display of "absolutely stunning playing across the board"which saw them find "great difficulty to get a whisker between each performance".

However, they revealed that they eventually decided on what Michael Dowrick said were "the definitive things"of "tone, tuning, technique and time"in what his colleague David Gallaher described as a series of "wonderful performances".

Poise and flamboyance

For the judges it was the balance of poise and flamboyance displayed by Anthony Smith, a four time member of the National Band of New Zealand that held sway.

The Woolston principal cornet delivered a notable performance of maturity and character to join a celebrated list of former Woolston Brass winners going back to 1929 of New Zealand banding's 'Blue Riband' solo award.

He was certainly pushed all the way by the cultured performance of 2016 and 2017 champion Rachel Thomas, whilst Murray Borthwick rolled back the years as the former Desford player produced a wonderful display of all round musicianship.

Fine accounts

The other finalists (all individual 'champions' in their own right from category contests held earlier in the day) all gave fine accounts of themselves.

There were confident displays from former 2002 champion Mike Ford on horn and 2008 winner Tyme Marsters on flugel, as well as glimpses of the exciting youthful potential of Jordan Seaton on EEb tuba and bass trombonist David Paligora who was also presented with the award as the 'Youngest individual Solo Champion'.

Elsewhere brothers Ross (cornet) and Andrew Yorkstone (trombone), Fendall Hill (soprano), Chris Collins (BBb Tuba), Andrew Leech (euphonium) and Georgia Hoy (baritone) all gave ample evidence of their qualities.

Before the announcement of the main results, well deserved awards were presented to Ross Macadam as 'Administrator of the Year', Jill Pears as 'Accompanist of the Year' and Emily Sullivan, who won the Dunedin Ladies Trophy for the female soloist in all categories who gained the highest marks from the adjudicators.

The continued popularity of the solo and ensemble events was shown with the number of entrants in both the junior and senior categories — from soprano to percussion as well as duets and ensembles.

The Woolston principal cornet delivered a notable performance of maturity and character to join a celebrated list of former Woolston Brass winners going back to 1929 of New Zealand banding's 'Blue Riband' solo award4BR

Results:
Champion of Champions:

1. Anthony Smith (Woolston Brass)
2. Rachel Thomas (North Shore Brass)
3. Murray Borthwick (North Shore Brass)

Finalists:
Tyme Marsters (Woolston Brass); Jordan Seaton (Ascot Park Hotel Brass of Invercargill); Fendall Hill (Central Boast Brass); Ross Yorkstone (Woolston Brass); Chris Collins (Wellington Brass); Andrew Yorkstone (Wellington Brass); Andrew Leech (North Shore Brass); Mike Ford (Nelson City Brass); Georgia Hoy (Woolston Brass); David Paligora (North Shore Brass).

Solo Competitions:

Open Soprano:
1. Fendall Hill (Central Coast Brass)
2. Kerry Wood (St Kilda Brass)

Championship Cornet:
1. Anthony Smith (Woolston Brass)
2. David Maas (North Shore Brass)
3. Andrew Large (Waitakere Auckland Brass)

Open Amateur Cornet:
1. Ross Yorkstone (Woolston Brass)
2. Jeremy Thompson (Tauranga City Brass)
3. Steve Rudhall (NBS Nelson City Brass)

Open Flugel Horn:
1. Tyme Marsters (Woolston Brass)
2. Kevin Hickman (Woolston Brass)
3. Brad Mancer (Wellington Brass)

Open Tenor Horn:
1. Murray Borthwick (North Shore Brass)
2. Lachlan Spence (Wellington Brass)
3. Mike Ford (NBS Nelson City Brass)

Open Baritone:
1. Georgia Hoy (Woolston Brass)
2. Steven Booth (Waitakere Auckland Brass)
3. Simon Winship (Hamilton City Brass)

Open Euphonium:
1. Andrew Leech (North Shore Brass)
2. Luke Spence (Wellington Brass)
3. Hamish Jellyman (Brass Whanganui)

Open Tenor Trombone:
1. Andrew Yorkstone (NBS Nelson City Brass)
2. Aishah Leitner (Leopard Coachlines Canterbury Brass)
3. Carmel Spencer (Trust Porirua City Brass)

Open Bass Trombone:
1. David Paligora (North Shore Brass)
2. Liam Bewley (Wellington Brass)
3. Jonathon Greenwell (Brass Whanganui)

Open EEb Bass:
1. Jordan Seaton (Ascot Park Hotel Brass of Invercargill)
2. John Mason (Woolston Brass)
3. Keenan Buchanan (Brass Whanganui)

Open BBb Bass:
1. Chris Collings (Wellington Brass)
2. Sam Pinder (Woolston Brass)
3. Matt Toomata (Woolston Brass)

Open Percussion:
1. Rachel Thomas (North Shore Brass)
2. Jasmine Ward (Woolston Brass)

Masters:
1. Mike Ford (Nelson City Brass)
2. Gary Bilton (Waitakere Auckland Brass)
3. Murray Borthwick (North Shore Brass)

Other Competitions

Open Slow Melody:
1. David Maas (North Shore Brass)
2. Andrew Large (Waitakere Auckland Brass)
3. Brad Mancer (Wellington Brass)

Junior Cornet:
1. Liam Wright (North Shore Brass)
2. Joe Inman (Brass Whanganui)
3. Amelie McKay (Woolston Concert Brass)

Junior Horn/Flugel/Baritone:
1. Danielle Oram (Eastern Bay of Plenty Brass)
2. Hazel Wilson (Woolston Brass)
3. Douglas Clark (NBS Nelson City Brass)

Junior Trombone:
1. Isaac Oram (Eastern Bay of Plenty Brass)
2. Logan Ready (Marlborough District Brass)
3. Ben Walker (Alpine Energy Timaru Brass)

Junior Euphonium:
1. Walter Hughes (Matamata Brass)
2. Anna Lee (The Devon Hotel New Plymouth Brass)
3. Samuel Hudson (The Devon Hotel New Plymouth Brass)

Junior Bass:
1. Leighton Ginever (Hamilton City Brass)
2. Stasson Collings (Buzzing Brass Wellington Youth)
3. Alex Eggers (The Devon Hotel New Plymouth Brass)

Under 15 Percussion:
1. Aran Molloy (Buzzing Brass Wellington Youth)

Junior Percussion:
1. Keina Rollinson (Nor'West Brass)
2. Jacob Hickman (Woolston Concert Brass)

Open Percussion Ensemble:
1. Woolston Brass

Open Duet:
1. Waitakere City Brass
2. Wellington Brass No. 2
3. Wellington Brass No. 1

Under 15 Group 1 Cornets:
1. Luca Cable (Woolston Concert Brass)
2. Harry Parker (North Shore Brass)
3. Emily Sullivan (North Shore Brass)

Under 15 Group 2 (other instruments)
1. Mia Yee (Nor'West Brass)
2. Toby Clark (Brass Whanganui)
3. Malachy Holborow (Buzzing Brass Wellington Youth)

Open Ensemble A:
1. Auckland City Brass
2. Woolston Brass No. 4
3. Wellington Brass No. 1

Open Ensemble B:
1. Woolston Brass
2. Wellington Brass
3. Kaikorai Metropolitan Brass

Open Ensemble C:
1. Leopard Coachlines Canterbury Brass
2. Addington Brass
3. NBS Nelson City Brass

Open Own Choice:
1. Tony Garing (Woolston Brass)
2. Cameron Hudson (Nor'West Brass)
3= Quentin Ginever (Hamilton City Brass)
3= Vickie Ward (Woolston Concert Brass)

Junior Slow Melody:
1. Emily Sullivan (North Shore Brass)
2. Samuel Hudson (The Devon Hotel New Plymouth Brass)
3. Joe Inman (Brass Whanganui)

Junior Duet:
1. Ascot Park Hotel Brass of Invercargill
2. Nor'West Brass
3. Eastern Bay of Plenty Brass No. 1

Junior Ensemble A&B:
1. Eastern Bay of Plenty Brass
2. Marlborough District Brass
3. Brass Whanganui