The New Zealand brass banding community is mourning the loss of the hugely respected Rodney Sutton JP, MBE. He passed away on 1st November, aged 89 years.
Player and conductor
Sutton was the Musical Director of the 1980 National Band of New Zealand during its two-month concert tour of the USA. He was also a member of the National Band in 1962, 1965, and 1967.
An outstanding euphonium player he won the national title thirteen times — the first in 1953 representing Otago-Sutherland Regt. He successfully defended the title the following year before winning it again in 1956/57/59/60/62/63/67/68/70/72 and 1974, all with Invercargill Garrison.
He also won the Masters title three times and the Champion of Champions in 1954, 1956, 1963, and 1987.
As a conductor he led Invercargill Garrison to the New Zealand A Grade National Championship title in Wellington in 1973.
