2015 is proving to be a significant year for the Box Hill City Band from Victoria in Australia, with new players arriving, a new band forming, a debut CD release and a high profile concert performance to look forward to as they prepare to compete at the forthcoming National Championship.

Player arrivals

Following the recent arrival of ex-Grimethorpe solo baritone, Michael Wells, the band has once again received a huge boost with former Redbridge solo horn, Chloe Mallet, joining the ranks.

Box Hill MD Dr. Matthew van Emmerik told 4BR: “We are really fortunate to secure the services of Chloe, who comes to us with a wealth of top flight experience. She has already made an immediate impact on the player group.”

Performance debut

Chloe's arrival comes as the band prepares for their performance this weekend at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, supporting the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, as Matthew added.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase our talent in front of a very large audience of orchestral music enthusiasts.

We will present an hour of music, including two pieces featuring guest trombone soloist and Head of Brass & Orchestral Studies at the University of Melbourne, Faculty of the VCA, Don Immel.”

This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase our talent in front of a very large audience of orchestral music enthusiastsMD Dr. Matthew van Emmerik

New bands

The Box Hill organisation has also undergone expansion, as they look towards the future.

The new Box Hill Academy Brass will look after the new influx of beginners wishing to learn to play, with those wishing to also enjoy big band music catered for with the ‘Plan B Big Band’ and ‘Big Band Theory’ ensembles.

Meanwhile, the newly created ‘Whitehorse Brass’ aims to provide opportunities for brass and percussion players to be part of a fun, inclusive, social community brass band.

New CD

All this and Box Hill is also preparing for the release of their debut CD, ‘Box Hill City Band: 125 Years’, which is due for release at the 2015 Australian National Band Championships in Sydney this Easter.

This will coincide with the band’s first appearance in A Grade at the National Championships in over 20 years, following promotion last year.