National Brass Band of New Zealand

Ross Gerritsen interviews 2007 National Band MD, Howard Taylor, a week out from the National Band's 2007 Tour

 

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You are certainly no stranger to NZ Banding. We see you over here a lot.  What was the major factor in applying for the national band MD job?

 

Having lived in New Zealand for over 5 years and being actively involved in the Brass Band scene, I am very conscious of the musical talent within the country. The international awareness of what NZ has to offer has continued to rise over recent years.  There is no doubt, and it has been proven, the top players in this country can play with any one of the world class bands in the UK.

I come from a musical family and when the National Band visited the UK back in 1962, (way before I was even thought of) it certainly left a lasting impression with my Father in particular. Over the years I remember him speaking often of the extremely high standard of the band. The National Band of New Zealand has had this impact on many people all over the world.

 

The opportunity to work with the best of the best was something I could not overlook. It is such an exciting prospect to see what sort of sounds we can produce together. Even though I am now residing in Australia, the musical ties are as strong as ever and I do enjoy my time whenever I return to NZ.

 

The band is full of some impressive players with very impressive credentials and banding experience. What was the hardest section to pick?

 

I must say the majority of the band for me picked itself, auditioning 78 musicians over a weekend was a daunting task for me and Kevin Dell. I would put the player selection into 3 main categories; the first – brass players that were clearly not ready for the standard of a National Band, second, – those who Kevin and myself had no doubt that they were class players ready for the job, and then the problem area in the middle with some very capable players not making full use of their audition.

For me, a very important aspect is the ability to work within the team, and this was also taken into consideration. The selection of some of the principal players was very difficult. You could say we were spoilt for choice, in that any number of players could have been chosen on their particular instrument and would have done a sterling job for the band.

 

What are you looking forward to most about conducting the National Band?

 

Every conductor I guess would like to put together his or her dream team. It’s a huge thrill to be in front of an ensemble who all wants to make the best in music that they can. I strongly believe we have a group of musicians here that can match the best bands in the world.

 

Chances are there will not be too many weaknesses in the band. What qualities in this band are you expecting that you might not find in your average contesting band?

 

With your “average contesting band” there will inevitably be weaknesses in sections. This will sometimes limit the choice of music that you can deliver with the band.  With this National Band, there is very little the players would have problems with. However, there is a timing issue. Where some bands spend months on a test piece, we have a weekend to work up a top A Grade test piece and a full program of music. The qualities of excellent sight reading and the ability to put together demanding music in a short time is the key for me. We shall see!

 

James Morrison is a huge name in Brass playing. How are you planning on balancing the concert programme? Are the audiences actually going to hear the National Band?

 

Having James Morrison for the whole tour is a huge privilege for the National Band.  Well done Kevin and Graham for securing that one. This will I’m sure greatly help the audience numbers over the tour. I would guess that this is the first time a national Band has had a Star Celebrity soloist. The concert will be no different to any previous; however the National Band soloists will be more limited.

As the 2007 Musical Director I have thought long and hard about the music to be featured in the program. I am very aware that people will come along to hear James Morrison and there are those who have perhaps never heard a brass band before. I have tried to come up with a full spectrum of varied music both challenging for the band and entertaining for the audience.

 

If the Kerkrade “World Champs” take place in 2009, do you think attending them is a sensible goal for the band or should it look to playing at the British Open or a similar, more established contest?

 

Without giving too much away, the management committee are looking at different options. They have their finger on the pulse, and between us I’m certain we will come up with the best option for the national band in 2009.

 

The future prospects for myself, the management committee, and the national band for the next three years are very exciting. We look forward to meeting the challenges, entertaining the New Zealand public, and enjoying the experiences.