Australian Concert Bands

Anyone know if they are going to East Coast next year?!

bensimon wrote:Anyone know if they are going to East Coast next year?!

Don't know yet. It's a good contest and South Pacific have not done it before. We were thinking about it this year but too many band members had other things on on that weekend. I guess it depends how busy we feel we are with nationals and states etc but the East Coast competeition is good as there is an entertainment section where you can play lighter music like you would in your normal concerts (from memory - it's been a few years since I was there with a band).

Hey Cliffy

Yep - it has the entertainment section in the arvo.

I think we are going, but not sure. Depends what the MD wants to do. East Coast is not quite as full on as state or nats - someone likened it to a regional eisteddfod!

I think that the problem of getting bands to enter competitions is something that the Band association address by allowing joint ventures between bands.

Coming from the north coast, our potential players are quite limited, and it only takes 5 or so players to be unavailable to prevent us from entering a competition, and the permit arrangement (only allowing 4 permits per performance) does not really help our situation that much.

I see one potential way out would be for the BA or contests to allow joint ventures between bands (particularly in lower grades) to allow a band to be formed by drawing on members from 2 bands. (Could also help in forming inter-band ties etc within the community.)

I'd be interesting in hearing what other people think about this?

At this stage I would say that Muswellbrook is going. This year however, we were all set to go, but were quite literally flooded out of Newcastle! I managed to make it to the contest an permit for another band, but the band was stuck at Singleton or somewhere. Makes for an interesting story if anyone would ever like to hear it...

Anyways, I would encourage all bands to try to get there, it is quite a great contest, without that crazy serious atmosphere that you get at State/National level.

Tell us the the story of The Flood. Many of us were aware that Hunter bands were caught up in the mess.

Oh, forgot to add that Port Macquarie WILL be at East Coast in 2008. Resolved at last Committee of Mgt meeting, and then will enter 2009 Nat's.

GregCook wrote:Tell us the the story of The Flood. Many of us were aware that Hunter bands were caught up in the mess.

It's really not all that exciting, but seeing as though you asked. After we had minor flooding on the Friday in Muswellbrook, I drove to Newy that night and hit town just as everybody was driving home and one of the big storms hit. The whole trip took 4 1/2 hours (usually takes less than two) including driving through some puddles I shouldn't have driven through. I was permitting for Lake Macquarie City Band who were due to rehearse that night (hence the crazy drive), but the conductor's house got flooded and rehearsal was cancelled. So, I was sight reading on stage, playing eupho (not my main instrument). The Muswellbrook Band was unable to make it to the contest due to floodwater at Singleton and Maitland, so there were many surprised looks from bandies when I was roaming around the city hall in my Muswellbrook uniform. It was excellent to see the contest go ahead as scheduled and particularly good to see the Waratah Band play so well considering what they went through.

So that's the abbreviated version of my story. It certainly was a weekend I will not forget in a hurry.

Lane Cove Concert Band is planning on heading to the East Coast Champs. We've never been before and are looking forward to it.

So....the comp is getting closer! less than 6 months away.

Any changes to bands that are still going? PMHM Band is still aiming to go!

Any update on the Concert Bands going??

So far i can see that the following bands are going

PMHM Band
Lane Cove Concert Band

Muswellbrook was a maybe last time around. Any news if they are going?

Long time no post - sorry

No, unfortunately Muswellbrook will not be there this year, but I will be!!! Just as a spectator, sadly.

Muswellbrook is planning to play at NSW state though, and hopefully do one better than last year. Look out Lane Cove

Well - its over

Results are:

Section 2 (D and C Grade)
First Place - Port Macquarie Hastings Municipal Band (139 points) - C Grade Band
Second Place - City of Lake Macquarie Concert Band (137 points) - C Grade Band

Section 1 (B and A Grade)
First Place - Lane Cove Concert Band (unknown amount of points at this stage) - B Grade Band
Second Place - University of Newcastle Concert Band (unknown amount of points at this stage) - B Grade Band

Festival of the Bands (Concert and Brass are competing against each other)

Division 2
First Place - Cardiff North Lakes (CNL) Brass Band (C Grade)

Division 1
First Place - Warringah Concert Brass Band (A Grade)

Well done to all bands who competed! It was a great day, with lots of great music being performed! Also a Goodonya! to Alan Shaw and his team at the Hunter Regional Band Association in putting on this great event!

Isn't it interesting that the brass band sites reported only the results of the brass bands at the recent East Coast of Australia Championships yet on the concert band site the results of all bands were reported.

LOL. Yeah, i had heard that.

See - the way i see it, banding in Australia is both Brass and Concert...but they can sometimes forget that!