Sale Band membership is a family affair for the Hempergers of Sale.

They are all involved.

Mr Les Hemperger is vice-president, his wife Shirley is Secretary, and their children members, Deborah 18, Kerrie 17, Bradley 12, Susan 10 and Elenore 9.

A son Les, formerly with the band, is now with the Military Band at Duntroon and studying trumpet at theconservatorium, Canberra.

Les will home for tomorrow's bandroom opening.

AT LAST THE band room is a reality.

After some 10 years of planning, negotiating and band fund-raising, the band has a fine new facility in Foster St. next to the museum.

I know that the recently re-elected executive of Ken Garner (president), Les Hemberger (vice-president), Shirley Hempberger (secretary) and Alan Glover ( treasurer), together with their hard working committee, are proud of reaching this important milestone in the history of Sale City Band.

The whole city shares the pride.

The spacious, functional bandroom of 1980 is a fitting reward for those bandsmen and women, both past and present, who have struggled to keep the band together through many a lean year.

It is a tribute to their preseverence that they have won through.

Not only does the band have a new band room. They also have a dedicated bandmaster in Ray Jago, and talented young musicians in Leon Salter and Debbie Hempberger.

Both Leon and Debbie are teaching a learners group which, it is hoped, will form the nucleus of a junior band.

Two other matters call for comment.

Despite inadequate facilities in the past, the Sale Band has made a valuable contribution to the civic life of the city over many years.

In the last 12 months he band gave no fewer than 22 recitals. They never turned down a single request.

The second matter concerns the building project.

The council recognised the importance of the band and to the city of a new bandroom by allocating $20,000 towards the building project.

I am pleased to report that council's faith in the band was not misplaced.

Of an estimated cost of some $45,000, possibly as much as one third was saved through working bees. And no one has given more leadership in this regard than the band committee president, Ken Garner.

Congratulations to all associated with the Sale City Band.

Neil McPherson bandmaster for eight years and Sale band's first life member, described Ray Jago as being in heyday, one of Victoria's finest cornet players.

Ray began as an eight-year-old with East Kew.

Ken Garner pays generous tribute to Ray Jago's and Bob Wallace's contributions.
"Ray lifted the band to new heights, musically. It was his dedicated enthusiasm that led to rejuvenation and, extraordinary as it may seem, a waiting list of members seeking to join.

"Bob Wallace ...well, Bob's one of those keen members who'll pitch in. You only have to ask Bob to do something, and it's done."

The band's other officers include secretary of 9 years Shirley Hemperger, and new treasurer Peter Weeding, who succeeds Alan Glover, retired after 13 years.

Shirley Hemperger, who has five children in the band, heads up the active auxiliary, coordinating the catering for various functions at the "hire-out" band room, and which raises considerable sums.

At the July annual meettng the auxiliary handed over $3000 for new instruments. The money's needed, too. A cornet, for example, costs $1000 a piece and the band's target is provision of the best instruments ... and turning out the finest musicians.

The smartly-uniformed band proudly bears the jacket motif designed by Jill Williamson, mother of young bandsmen Hugh and Lloyd, and who styledthe logo on a doubleclef.

Mums and dads are an integral part of the band's familyhood.

Shirley Hemperger's children have won a niche in band history. Son Les, a trumpeter, graduated to become a musician at Duntroon military college.

Daughter Debbie became the first female conductor to conduct the band, at the Swing Bridge centenary last week.

Debbie aided by Leon Salter, has been rebponsible for the number of prospective juniors seeking to join.

Other Hemperger children Bradley, Susan and Eleanor are all musicians.

The band has produced some fine talented musicians in recent years and while the list is long, Carey Fehst went on to make a career in music in the Army, Brian Sim plays with the Victoria Police band, and Peter Jackson, son of Mr and Mrs Ern Jackson, who joined in the 1950's, toured overseas and is a commissioned officer in the Army as well as conductor of Hawthorn band. Peter's rated a top-line conductor.

Ken Garner, builder by trade, was in construction partnership with George Gourley, and during building of timber mill houses at Ensay north, whiled away the evening hours making music.

Ken returns to the pleasing number of youngsters queuing to join.

He sees the waiting list as recognition of the band as a community education resource as much as a recreation avenue. but more than that, parents with deep faith in the band to raise their children in a desirable social environment through community service.

"Having a waiting list is a contrast with the old days when we couldn't get numbers. It speaks volumes for not only the committee of recent years, but the very foundation of the band built up over a great many years."

"History apart, we are here to serve the community in a way no other local organisation can.

The Sale City Band has appointed a new musical director.

He is Mr Hugh Davies from Ivanhoe, Melbourne

Mr Davies has an extensive musical history including a lifetime of playing the trumpet and cornet.

He played in the now defunct Railway's Band, the army's Third Military District Band for six years, the RAAF Central Band for a further six years and formed the Kirabati Islands Police Band while in the RAAF.

Mr Davies has also conducted the Croyden Concert Band and the Oakleigh City Band.

Like the former Bandmaster, Mr Ray Jago who retired in September 1983, Mr Davies is a registered music teacher and has an Associate of Music Degree.

Aside from the musical side of his life, Mr Daivies works for the Sale City Council in the parks and gardens four days a week.

He lives in Hoddle Street Sale with his wife Teote, whom he met in the Kiribati Islands and their 18 month old daughter Terina.