Not many Kiwis can say they’ve done something continuously for 75 years. But Bethlehem’s Alex Garrett can.

The 84-year-old has just been recognised nationally – and locally – for playing brass instruments for 75 consecutive years. It’s quite an achievement.

“Yes, so everybody keeps telling me,” he says.

It all began with his mother Alma Garrett wanted him to learn to play the bagpipes.

“There was no way I wanted to play the bagpipes, so I went to brass band instead.

“There was a boy down the street who was in the [local brass] band. He asked me if I’d like to learn. I said: ‘Yes’. That’s how it all started. I was nine when I started on a cornet,” says Alex, who says his parents “had no musical ability whatsoever”.

Fulfilling a dream

Alex began “banding” with the Eltham Municipal Brass Band in 1949 – nine years later he moved to Hawera and joined the Hawera Municipal Brass Band and began exploring other instruments. “I was there for another 28 years.”

A painter and wallpaperer by trade Alex always wanted to be a band conductor. That dream prompted a move to the Bay of Plenty in 1986. “I had no show of getting a band conductor job in Hawera. I did conduct a junior band and was deputy conductor there, but I wanted one of my own.”

He saw a newspaper advertisement for a brass band conductor in Tauranga.

“I applied and got it.”

Alex Garrett, aged 14, playing the cornet. Photo: supplied.

Back then, Tauranga City Brass Band was named Tauranga City Silver Band – it became the former after a two-band merger.

Alex conducted Silver Brass, which won the D grade national championship in his final year at the helm, for 13 years to 1999.

He has kept playing with the band since. He was playing bass for a long while until recently switching back to the cornet.

“It’s a lot lighter to carry.”

Comradeship

What does he love about music and brass bands? “Oh, just the comradeship among everybody in the band. When you go away to contests you get to catch up with other instrumentalists, too.”

His wife Ann has also been sucked into the world of brass bands. “When you married one, you join them.” She joined Hawera Municipal Band, playing percussion. “The Kitchen Section we call it – all the pots and pans.”

She carried on with percussion when they moved north. “We had three children; our two boys played instruments – one the cornet, one the euphonium – but our daughter played the piano. She’d had enough of brass bands.”

Ann says she’s never lied to her husband, but she’s had to tell few porkies in recent weeks. At last month’s New Zealand Brassband Contest in Auckland, Alex got called on stage for the NZ Brass Band Association to present him an award for his 75 years continued service to brass bands. It was at the end of the B grade Championships, which his Tauranga City Brass competed in. “I didn’t know it was coming; I had a standing ovation, and the applause went for ages. It was amazing.”

Sixth Kiwi

On July 27, Tauranga City Brass Band hosted a surprise function to celebrate Alex’s 75 years of musical service. Brass band members from throughout the North Island attended – again a complete surprise to Alex.

“I didn’t know about that one either. My wife here has been telling me all sorts of lies,” he laughs. “They’ve only been white ones,” says Ann, who found it “very hard” to keep the secrets. “He’s only the sixth person in New Zealand to achieve this.”

So what’s his favourite instrument? “That’s hard to say but one is the bass that I’ve played for many years, and I do like the cornet – so it’s between the two of them”.

His favourite tune? “I’ve played so many over the years I couldn’t tell ya. I just enjoy playing music, and that’s it.”

Aiming for 80!

Alex has taught children along the way, and has been asked to play at many gigs – he’s played The Last Post on a cornet many times for Anzac Days, and at funerals.

Ironically, though, he doesn’t own instruments – the band supplies him with a cornet. And he doesn’t get nervous before gigs. So any highlight performances? “A concert with Malvina Major at Baycourt to raise money for the band – that was a highlight. Also, winning the national B Grade with Hawera.”

Alex, who turns 85 in November, still religiously attends every Tauranga City Brass Band practice. “I’m there every night – I never miss.” And he has no plans of giving up music. “No, I’m aiming for 80 years now.”

- SunLive