Tara Murray
Musicians from across Melbourne’s west will have the chance to shine at the first Western Bands Festival.
The brainchild of the Western Concert Band, the festival will give concert and brass bands the opportunity to perform locally.
Western Concert Band musical director and conductor Harry Merrifield said he was excited for the festival and hoped tit could become an annual event.
“It’s been inspired by a previous festival that had happened but it was only for concert bands only,” he said.
“This time we have expanded the program to include concert and brass bands.”
Five bands will be part of the first festival. The Western Concert Band will be joined by Suzanne Cory High School, Western Brass, Sunshine Community Brass and Westgate Concert Band.
The bands will all perform individually before taking the stage for two combined performances at the end of the festival.
Merrifield said a lot of concert and brass bands don’t get the opportunity to perform at concerts.
“It’s a great opportunity for bands to get critical feedback from a clinical professional and network without being in a competitive environment,” he said.
“It’s an opportunity for each of the bands to show off what they can do. We can network and there could be opportunities to work together in the future.”
Yamaha education outreach clinician Dr Rob McWilliams and Haileybury College head of bands Dr Joanne Heaton will assess the bands and provide them with feedback.
The festival is on August 10, from 9am-2pm, at the Suzanne Cory High School Auditorium, 225 Hoppers Lane, Werribee.
Entry is via gold coin donation.
