Author: Wollongong City Band

Like everyone, the Wollongong Brass & Wind Bands are adjusting to the challenges presented by the COVID-19 virus.

The limits on the number of people that can gather both indoors and out have meant that we’ve had to cancel our concerts and suspend our regular face-to-face rehearsals.

We’re keeping things ticking along via the internet though, in particular our 2020 Beginner Brass, Junior Brass, and Senior Wind bands are holding virtual get-togethers each week via video conferencing software. Naturally, it’s not the same as rehearsing in person, but we’re working with what we’ve got and will find ways to improve the experience as we go.

We also have some “virtual band” projects on the go where everyone is recording their parts at home and we’ll mix them together into a final track. We might even post them online!

These are challenging times for everyone, we hope you all stay safe and well, and we’ll see you on the other side.

If you or your kids have ever wanted to learn a brass instrument, there’s no better time to start than now!

We’re about to start a new group of musicians catering for first-timers. The beginner group will meet on Fridays from 5 to 5:30pm during school terms. It’s mainly aimed at kids, but adults are welcome too. Kids must be in Year 4 at school, or older.

The best part? The annual fee is only $60, and we’ll loan you an instrument
(subject to availability, of course) at no extra cost. That’s right, for just $60 you get a weekly group lesson, and a brass instrument to play for the whole year.

The information session is on Friday 6 March 2020 at 5pm in the band hall. For more information, contact Des Cannings (des.cannings@gmail.com or call 0431 065 359). Instruments will run out, so get in early!

Celebrating Senior’s Week 2020, our Brass and Wind bands are coming together for a concert of fun and entertaining music!

The concert will be at Figtree Anglican Church Auditorium at 2pm on 15 February. The ticket price includes afternoon tea, and we’re offering great discounts for group bookings. As usual, there will be a great selection of raffle prizes too, tickets available in the foyer on the day.

Concert tickets are available at the door, or online at TryBooking.

We hope you can join us for some Summer Fun!

As 2020 approaches, we can look back on a great year for the Wollongong Brass & Wind bands. We played some great concerts, performed well in the NSW State Band Championships, and our junior bands are going from strength to strength. We’ll be trying hard to make next year even better.

To round out 2019, the Brass band will be performing for about 30 minutes on New Year’s Eve, so if you’re in Wollongong for the festivities you can hear us at Osborne Park (across the road from Belmore Basin) from 5:30pm. There will be plenty of music, food, and of course the fireworks to enjoy, so come and be part of the fun!

We’re please to announce that Kevin Skues is taking over the Musical Director role for the Senior Brass Band, and we want to say a big “Thank You” to Jonathan Gatt for his time as MD.

Jonathan’s musical expertise and guidance have been a great asset to the band, improving our musical performance both individually and as an ensemble. We look forward to welcoming Jonathan back to the band in the future, in whatever capacity he can assist us, once his current transport problems are resolved.

Kevin will have to “hit the ground running” to prepare programs for our New Year’s Eve playout and Senior’s Week concert, with only a few rehearsal times available before each event.

Welcome to the band, Kevin, we look forward to working with you!

Our combined Wind Bands will be playing on Saturday December 7 from 10am, providing light entertainment at the Dapto Uniting Church markets.

The markets are held at the church grounds at 122 Princes Hwy, Dapto, opposite Dapto Mall. We’ll be in the hall if it’s raining.

Hope to see you there!

Congratulations to Des Cannings who was awarded Life Membership of the City of Wollongong Brass Band at our recent 85th anniversary concert.

Des has worked tirelessly over the years with our Junior Brass band and Beginner Brass band, as well as filling in as Musical Director for the Senior Brass from time to time. Under Des’s leadership the Junior band has won numerous competitions, performed in concerts, and taken part in tours and musical development camps.

Thanks again to Des for all the hard work for the band.

Join our Senior, Junior and Beginner Brass bands for their end of year concert, celebrating 85 years of the Wollongong Brass Band. We’ll have music for young and old, from The Wiggles to Tom Jones, to the sounds a Persian Market.

The concert also features our NSW State Champion Junior Brass band, and this year’s Beginner Brass will perform as a group for the first time.

Tickets are available online at TryBooking, or at the door.

The concert will be at the Figtree Anglican Church Auditorium on 23 November at 2pm. Afternoon tea will be provided, and there will be a great selection of raffle prizes, so come and join us for an afternoon of great music and entertainment.

Our Junior and Senior Wind Bands are gearing up for their next concert, where they’ll be presenting a program of dances, marches, and toe-tapping favourites that are sure to get your feet moving.

There’s music that tells a story, music that paints a picture, music to sing to, and music “for the mind”, but this time we’re focusing on the music that makes us get up and move. From the waltz to rock-and-roll, from the quickstep to the quick march, there is so much music that inspires us to get up and move our feet. We hope you can join us as we explore the world of music “for the feet”.

The concert will be at the Figtree Anglican Church Auditorium on 19 October at 2pm. Afternoon tea will be supplied, and there will be a great selection of raffle prizes. Hope you can join us!

Spring is in the air, and it’s Tulip Time in the Southern Highlands.

Our Junior Brass and Junior Wind bands will be taking part in the festival at Corbett Gardens in Bowral, playing at the rotunda from 11:30am to 1:30pm on Saturday 28 September.

Come along and enjoy the flower displays, the gardens, the music, and the food, it’ll be a great day out!