2007 Western Australian Festival of Brass

Retrospective

Saturday 10 November
Hosted by Canning City Brass Band
Adjudicator: Mr Greg Aitken

When the Western Australian A State Contest had to be cancelled due to lack of entries this year, it prompted a group of band enthusiasts to look at WA banding.

Why did not enough bands enter the contest? What's happening to banding in WA? Why is WA struggling with numbers? How can we try to improve things? A meeting was subsequently held involving a number of players from Canning City, Midland Brick Brass and Peter Younghusband who is not affiliated to any band.

The outcome was to come up with an event that had no rules or regulations but provided an opportunity for brass bands to perform in a contest situation. It was decided that a Festival with a great deal of flexibility would be the best idea. An event that any band could come to, and elect to take part in some or all of the categories. The traditional style contest would comprise Hymn, March and Own Choice Test Piece, but bands did not have to perform each item. They could simply enter the Hymn should they wish. To win the section though, you would need to play all three items. As WA only has a small number of bands in each grade, a handicap system was devised so that all bands could appear the 'same section.' A small entry fee of $50 would be the token cost to take part in the Festival.

The afternoon event would be an Entertainment Contest featuring a 25 minute program including a best soloist prize. Although a separate contest, points from this would be added to points from the traditional contest to find a 'Champion Band' for the day. It was also decided at the meeting that no further meetings would happen. All future dealings would happen via email. A great idea meaning that volunteers didn't need to find another night during their busy schedules.

Rohan Hardie and Paul Torrance from Canning City and Mike Willett from Midland Brick visited as many WA bands as they could to promote the event. Having a face in the bandroom rather than just correspondence in the mail certainly helped to encourage bands to attend.

Canning City offered to look after the financial affairs of the Festival. Midland Brick provided their percussion equipment for all to use. Sarah Ross from Midland Brick took on publicity. Martin Clare, a veteran of WA banding events agreed to be compere for the day. MusicInstruments.com.au agreed to sponsor the event and provide a Westminster London Bb cornet to the Champion Band of the day. The West Australian Band Association also sponsored the event. A venue was required that provided performance area together with refreshment facilities available throughout the day. Swan Districts Football Club in Bassendean proved to be the best option.

Many country bands were fully supportive of the concept, but due to various reasons, none could actually make the day. However, they made it clear they would like to be involved should it happen again next year. As the date for entries closed, it was terrific to see 8 bands nominate. This would make the largest number of bands attending a WA event for a number of years. The flexibility of the event undoubtedly led to this high number of entries. 4 bands Midland Brick Brass, Canning City, Melville AFA and City of Belmont) entered the March, Hymn and Own Choice. These 4 together with 2 more (Town of Victoria Park Brass, and Challenge Brass) entered the Entertainment Contest, and a further 2 (City of Perth and Silver Threads) took part in the Entertainment, but for performance opportunity only. Greg Aitken from Brisbane was the adjudicator.

So the inaugural Western Australian Band Festival was up and running. The day itself was a huge success. It was fantastic to hear positive comments from all bands concerned. Seats were full for almost every band as the audience turned over throughout the day. With plenty of keen volunteers, coordinator Rohan Hardie was delighted with the day.

So where to from here? Well it's hoped that the success of the Festival will result in it becoming an annual event on the WA banding calendar.

Where they came and What they played

CONTEST SECTION ( Hymn, March & Test Piece )

1. Midland Brick Brass, A Grade, Gareth Jones
March: Praise (Wilfred Heaton)
Hymn: The Day Thou Gavest (C.C.Scholefield, arr. Philip Wilby)
Test: The Essence of Time (Peter Graham)

2. Canning City Brass Band , B Grade, Andrew Sutherland
Hymn: I’ll Walk With God (Nicholas Brodszky, arr. Goff Richards)
March: Death or Glory (Robert B Hall)
Test: A Celtic Suite (Philip Sparke)

3. Melville AFA Brass Band , C Grade, Stephen Harmer
Hymn: Chorale Prelude "Deep Harmony" (arr. Denis Wright)
March: Mardi Gras March (Sammy Fain arr. Richard Read)
Test: Triptych (Philip Sparke)

4. City of Belmont Brass Band, D Grade, Peter Weir
Hymn: Into Thy Hands (Newman Wolsey, Arr. Edrich Siebert)
March: Death or Glory (Robert B Hall)
Test: The Ancient Mariner (Michael Laurent, Arr. William Rimmer)

ENTERTAINMENT SECTION (25 minute concert program)

1. Canning City Brass Band - ( MD. Andrew Sutherland )
Sabre Dance (Khachaturian, arr. Edrich Siebert)
Simoraine (Clive Barraclough)
Toccata in D Minor (J.S. Bach, arr. Ray Farr) - Xylophone Solo : Andrew Sutherland
Pirates of the Caribbean (Klaus Badelt, arr. Ted Ricketts and John Blanken)
Kongalela (Jan Magne Forde)

2. Midland Brick Brass - (MD. Gareth Jones)
Midwest March (J.J.Richards, arr. D.Broadbent)
My Love is Like a Red Red Rose (arr. Gordon Langford) - Cornet Solo : Ben Noonan
Bill Bailey (arr. Goff Richards)
CanterburyChorale ( J.Van der Roost)
Gaelforce (Peter Graham)

3. Town of Victoria Park Brass - ( MD. Stephen Harmer)
The Bombasto (Orion R. Farrar arr. Roger Thorne)
Solitaire (arr. Stephen Corbett) - Cornet Solo : Heather McIntyre
Suite of Welsh Hymns arr. David Barton
The Lone Ar-ranger! (With apologies to Rossini!). (Rossini arr. Philip R. Buttall)
The New Colonial March (R.B. Hall)

4. Melville AFA Brass Band - ( MD. Stephen Harmer)
Entry of the Gladiators (Julius Fucik)
Blaydon Races (Trad. arr Gordon Langford) - Euphonium Solo : John Hardie
Basin St. Blues (Spencer Williams, arr. Edrich Siebert)
Old Time Medley No.2 (arr. Richard Read)

5= City of Belmont Brass Band - ( MD. Peter Weir)
Ye Banks & Braes (Traditional, arr. Alan Fernie)
Souris Avengles (Traditional, arr. Weir)
Mid All The Traffic (Leonard Ballantine)
Bright And Beautiful (Silfverberg)
Rondo (Wright)
Pirates Of The Caribbean (Badelt, arr. Fraser)
Ashokan Farewell (Ungar, arr. Alan Fernie)

5= Challenge Brass Band - ( MD. Peter Tuck)
Old Comrades (William Rimmer)
My Heart Will Go On - Titanic Love Theme (James Horner, arr. Richard Read)
Post Horn Galop (Koenig)
Born Free (John Barry, arr. Alan Catherall)
Amarillo - Is This The Way To Go (arr. Richard Read)

City of Perth Brass Band - ( MD. Brian Underwood)
Fanfare and Flourishes (James Curnow)
A London Celebration (Peter Graham)
Male Voice Interlude
Yesterday (Lennon/McCartney, arr. Goff Richards)
Bill Bailey (Hughie Cannon, arr. Goff Richards)
Can Can (J.Offenbach, arr. Goff Richards)

Silver Threads Brass Band - ( MD. Irwin Palmer )
Big Bands In The Nursery (James D Ployhar)
Instant Australian Concert (arr. Fred Rooke)
Forty Fathoms (Harold Walters) - Tuba Solo
Gospel Song Sing Along (arr. William Himes)
Silver Jubilee (Fred Rooke)

Photo Gallery

Representatives from seven of the participating bands