The respected Welsh conductor and adjudicator Nigel Seaman will be on his long distance travels to the southern hemisphere next week.

He will head to the Land of the Long White Cloud to link up with Wellington Brass Band as they prepare to try and make it a 'Tasman Double' by winning the 2018 New Zealand National title.

Oldest National

The world's oldest National Championships take place for the first time in Blenheim, on the country's south island, based at the 700 seat ASB Theatre Marlborough on the weekend on the 13th/14th July. The set-work this year is Peter Graham's 'The 39th Parallel'.

Wellington will be looking to regain the title after losing it to their Australian rivals Brisbane Excelsior in 2017, having won it for the previous four years under MD David Bremner.

After David stepped down from the role, Nigel was invited to take the band at the 2018 Australian Championships, leading them to a memorable title success — beating Brisbane in the process.

Looking forward

Not surprisingly, as he told 4BR, he is once again looking forward to spending time with them. "I'll be spending just over a month with Wellington and it will include a couple of concerts, as well as visits that are planned to other bands for workshops etc.

The band has already started preparation towards the event and I'm really looking forward to working with such a talented ensemble of musicians once more. It would be wonderful to make it an Anzac double."

The band has already started preparation towards the event and I'm really looking forward to working with such a talented ensemble of musicians once more. It would be wonderful to make it an Anzac doubleNigel Seaman

Wonderful host

Nigel added: "After the contest I'll be spending the following week in Tasmania, based in Launceston (where he adjudicated last year) for more workshops and music school visits.

I will be the guest of Peter and Alida Quigley. Peter's the President of the Tasmanian Bands League and was such a wonderful host to me on my last visit."