The Federation of Australasian Brass Bands and the Keller International Soloist of the Year event have linked each of their respective festivals in a new collaboration.

Automatic Entrant

At the FABB Australasian Open Brass Festival at Tweed Heads, October 23-25 2009, the winning brass soloist from the Australasian Entertainment event will now be recognized by the Keller Festival as an automatic entrant, funded by the FABB, to the International Soloist of the Year event held annually at St Marys Band Club.

Discussions

The agreement came after discussions between St Marys Band Club Board member and organiser of the Keller International Soloist of the Year Ken Bradley and FABB Chairman, Rick Casagrande.

The collaboration between the two entities further cements the new direction in which we see Australasian banding heading.FABB Chairman, Rick Casagrande

“The collaboration between the two entities further cements the new direction in which we see Australasian banding heading,” said FABB Chairman Rick Casagrande. “It is important and the responsibility of each of us to do all we can to promote banding in the wider community.”

Community focus

Both festivals are played out in major public clubs in New South Wales with access to the general public and the mutual goal of bringing entertainment and brass playing back to the community from whence it began.