2006 Tasmanian Band Championships - Contest Preview

13-Oct-2006

Sir Stanley Burbury Centre, University of Tasmania in Hobart will be the venue for the 2006 Tasmanian Band Championships being held this weekend 14-15 October. The concert bands will compete on Saturday and the brass on Sunday.

The adjudicator for the weekend is Glenn McGowan from Melbourne.

This year, the competition in the C Grade section appears to be very strong with at least two of the three competing bands enthusiastic, committed, and on a mission! Representation in other grades is tiny but what is lacking in numbers won't be lacking in spirit.

Unfortunately, 4BRDU will be unable to attend this contest as we will be covering the Victorian Championships in Ballarat, also being held this weekend. However, Simon Turk will be providing results and feedback live from the venue to 4BRDU for up-to-the-minute coverage of all brass events.

A Grade
Test: English Heritage (Lloyd)

Glenorchy City Concert Brass
Conductor: Dean Hunt

Soprano: Yoram Levy
Principal Cornet: Noel Hunt
Flugel: David Eaves
Solo Horn: Bernard Plumpton
Principal Eupho: Joe Cook
Solo Bari: Beau Webb
Principal Trom: John Miezitis
Bass Trom: John Goldsmith
Principal Eb Bass: Allison Devine
Principal Bb Bass: Tim Cox
Principal Percussionist: Robert Rule

Glenorchy reported to 4BRDU:
Rehearsals have been a little sketchy due the other commitments of many of the band's players.

The test piece is coming together nicely. The Own choice is an "old boiler" (Tallis Variations) as the band knew that it would be up against it in the lead up to the States. The band had been preparing to do Blitz and had worked on this with Shaun Crowther from Grimethorpe in July of this year, which was inspirational at the time. But the hard decision was made that the band wouldn't be able to get the cornet section together for enough sectionals.

Carmen Powell (Solo Cornet) was unable to play with reasonably short notice, but as a result the band has got Simon Cawthorn (Conductor Hobart Brass Band) and Simon Reade (Conductor Hobart Concert Band) to play in the Solo Cornet section, making it quite a strong team. The band is also pleased to see Peter Kilpatrick back (Eb Bass) who is a great support.

B Grade
Test: Conventary Variations (Tovey)

Ulverstone Municipal Band
Conductor: Chris Lusted

Soprano: Liam Johnstone
Principal Cornet: Simon Turk
Flugel: Shane Willoughby
Solo Horn: Melody Adams
Principal Eupho: Charles Johnson
Solo Bari: Elicia McReadi
Principal Trom: Christine Lusted
Bass Trom: Kevin Findlay
Principal Eb Bass: Matthew Spotswood
Principal Bb Bass: Jason Coleman
Principal Percussionist: None

Ulverstone reported to 4BRDU:
Preparation for the contest has been steady. Other band engagements have meant rehearsal time has been split among contest and concert programs, but in the last couple of weeks the band has seen a strong commitment from the players as they knuckle down and get ready for the job at hand.

The band has found the test piece to be exceptionally challenging, it is a tough all round piece that requires solid technique from soprano cornet to 2nd Eb and Bb Bass. The band has taken enthusiastically to the own choice and feel they are in a good position to give a strong musical rendition.

Matthew Spotswood (ex Tasmanian Champion of champions) has replaced the euphonium with the Eb Bass for this contest.

C Grade
Test: Bel-Air (Richards)

City of Burnie Brass Band
Conductor: Robert Bentley

Pending...if someone representing this band could contact 4BRDU, this would be greatly appreciated.

Hobart City Band
Conductor: Simon Cawthorn

Hobart City Band has been one of the most progressive bands in the last few years. It has moved rapidly through the ranks to have established itself in a strong position in C Grade. The band has set a goal to aim to be in B Grade for the 2007 Nationals.

The preparation leading up to this contest has been good, and membership is solid. Hobart will be using Damian Jones on Bass Trom and Tim Cox on tuba from Glenorchy as permits this weekend, as well as the added boost of having Dean Hunt, conductor of Glenorchy playing cornet.

The band has very much enjoyed working on the test piece - particularly its lyrical qualities. Their Own Choice test was deliberately chosen to challenge the band and to demonstrate its worthiness to be upgraded.

Latrobe Federal Band
Conductor: Carolyn Cross

Principal Cornet: Adrian Loone
Flugel: Melinda Poon
Solo Horn: Khalia Hoare
Principal Eupho: Mark Berry
Solo Bari: Bill Clarke
Principal Trom: Darren Papworth
Bass Trom: Greg Cracknell
Principal Eb Bass: Robert Clarke
Principal Bb Bass: Jamie Padman
Principal Percussionist: Cameron Scott

Latrobe Valley reported to 4BRDU:
The band has been seriously rehearsing our contest works since early August. In early September it switched to "fully dedicated contesting mode" upon the completion of the latest round of local concert commitments. At this time the band increased the frequency of rehearsals to three times a week. Preparation of the contest works has been both vigorous and thorough.

The test piece "Bel-Air" is a good, solid C Grade contest work with enough taxing inside parts to give the entire band a thorough workout. It is good to work on such an enjoyable and melodic major work that can also be used as an own choice at future state or National contests. The work suits the constructs of this band, especially the slow melodic mid-section. Our Own Choice was specifically chosen as suitable for our band. Latrobe likes to keep abreast of new contest works and of what is currently being performed at UK contests.

In the lead up to the competitions, Latrobe have experienced more than a usual number of obstacles and hurdles. The band's long-term drummer was not available to contest this year due to prior commitments which left them in the precarious state of finding a suitable replacement who not only can play drums effectively, but who also reads music. Latrobe has not had a full-time Soprano player since 1989 and covering these parts also proved difficult due to the lack of suitably experienced soprano players. Work commitments (especially shift work) have caused problems with several players being unable to attend some rehearsals. Consequently the only time that the band will all be in attendance will be on the day of the contest.

Several of our members have also had to travel great distances in order to attend regular rehearsals which has also caused some difficulty. Three weeks out from the contest, the band's 2nd Trombone player resigned over a trivial matter regarding punctuality, the ability to accept personal criticism and the failure to be a team player. This player also left the band without providing a satisfactory explanation for their rash actions and "let the team down" in a major way. This incident caused an unnecessary major reshuffle at such a late stage in preparation for the contest.

The members of Latrobe would like to thank the Musical Advisory Board of the Tasmanian Bands League for choosing such a spirited, melodic and well intentioned test piece. It certainly makes a change from the more experimental, atonal works which the band has had to perform at contests in the late 80's early 90's. After the Tasmanian contest, Latrobe is seriously considering participating in the 2007 Nationals to be held in Melbourne next Easter. This will be good for the band (both musically and socially) as it also marks the first interstate Nationals that Latrobe have attended since 1994.

D Grade
Test: St Andrews Variations (Fernie)

City of Devonport Brass
Conductor: Nigel Elliot

Pending...if someone representing this band could contact 4BRDU, this would be greatly appreciated.

Glenorchy City Concert Brass D
Conductor: Dean Hunt

Soprano: David Eaves
Principal Cornet: Sean Hunt
Solo Horn: Glenn Hunt
Principal Eupho: Dan Segovia
Solo Bari: Rolf Miezitis
Principal Trom: Alistair Witt
Principal Eb Bass: Kevin Segovia
Principal Bb Bass: Tim Cox
Principal Percussionist: Robert Rule

Glenorchy D reported to 4BRDU:
Rehearsals have been consistent with the small number of people in the band. Basically Glenorchy's D grade is an opportunity for the older juniors to keep playing.

The band has had trouble enjoying the test piece and unfortunately, very few players like it! It believes the piece to be a flexi ensemble piece as there is doubling right across the band. e.g. 1st Trom, 1st, 2nd Bari and 2nd horn parts are identical.

The only real change from last year is that Glenorchy D has Chris Rice on Euph having his debut in treble clef.