The B Grade at the Melbourne Nationals is set to be a close contest. There are 13 very strong bands competing, plus there will be a new National champion, as the 2015 & 2016 champions Boroondara Brass move up to A Grade. It has been really tough to pick a winner, or even a top 3 from an extensive but formidable list of contenders.
In the last handful of years, we have rarely seen a whitewash of all four of the on stage categories, and the contests have always been close, so every piece is of significant importance. As a usual B Grade competitor with Northern Brass, I am looking forward to seeing how the B Grade pans out. There's even a little of my own Brass Band music being played so keep your eyes peeled for my name!
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The Australian National Championships are only a handful of weeks away, so I am preparing some preview and prediction articles for each open brass event of the weekend. First up are the Open D Grade Brass, which will see 9 competitors contend for the National title. While it may be the smallest of the Open Grade competitions, it may well be the most competitive with many bands looking viable to take out the title!
A new year, and for brass bands-people, it's time for a new Nationals quest! With less than 12 weeks until the Melbourne Nationals, I thought I'd just share my thoughts on what should be one of the most exciting Nationals in recent history. I unfortunately will not be attending the Nationals, as you can find out about here, but I will be very interested to hear how all the grades go, and what interesting musical selections bands have made!
In the midst of all the anticipation, I think there are three things that will make the 2018 Nationals particularly noteworthy and encourage a fantastic weekend of music.
Another year has come and gone. I must thank each and every one of you for your ongoing support over the last 12 months and beyond. In 2017, I wrote more music than I have ever before, I had plenty of premieres and new projects come through, and that wouldn't be without your encouragement.
2017 has catapulted me into an incredibly exciting 2018! I am going on exchange to University of Salford, near Manchester, from late January to June, where I will be able to study composition under some of the best brass band composers in the business. I'll also be heading to a number of exciting events while I am there, including the European Brass Band Championships, the UK Regionals and the RNCM Brass Band Festival. The trip certainly isn't cheap, but I'm sure I'll be enjoying every penny's worth with fantastic experiences that Australians can only dream of. But before we truly get into 2018, I thought I'd reflect on my top 10 Compositional and Musical Highlights of 2017 below.
I had a chance to ask Brisbane Excelsior's Soprano Cornetist Jaime Rolfe some questions about playing with Australia's leading brass band, as well as her experiences as a soprano cornet soloist. We also discussed the Melbourne Nationals in 2018, and her thoughts on the panel of adjudicators.
I had a chance to speak to Nyeve MacKenzie, Solo Euphonium player from current NSW B Grade State Champions, Parramatta City Brass. We discussed how Parramatta City Brass Band rebounded from their 2017 Nationals result to their first State B Grade Championship victory under Jonathon Gatt, as well as how the band is preparing for the 2018 Nationals in Melbourne.
I had a chance to sit down with Daniel Van Bergen, conductor of current B Grade National Champions Boroondara Brass, and member of both the VBL Executive Committee and Music Advisory Board. We discussed his successes with Boroondara, changing the Australian grading system and introducing more banding competitions.
Veronica Boulton Interview: Marion City Band, The Importance of Community Music and Youth Banding11/7/2017 Veronica Boulton has had musical success as a performer and conductor across Victoria and South Australia, and is the current Musical Director of Marion City Band, who placed 3rd in the Australian National Band Championships 2017 in B Grade. I had the chance to speak to her about her conducting at Marion City Band, her passion for community music and her involvement in junior music programs.
Broden Ford Interview: Playing Percussion, Box Hill Academy of Percussion and Whitehorse Brass2/7/2017 Broden Ford is a familiar face around Victorian and Australian banding, and has played percussion with ample brass bands at contests. I had a chance to sit down with him and discuss the role of percussion in community banding, his Box Hill Academy of Percussion and conducting Whitehorse Brass.
12 months ago, I launched this website, and officially began my career as a freelance musician. What an incredible 12 months it has been, and I can only be thankful to all my supporters for encouraging me to get to where I have come, and hopefully where I will go!
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AuthorJared has written articles for the British Bandsman, as well as local community radio stations 3MBS and Radio Monash. Categories
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