SALE City Band presented another polished performance at its annual concert in Sale Memorial last last Sunday.
The concert was compered by Anne McKay and numbers performed were of great variety and were enjoyed by both young at heart and the more mature audience.
Guest artist Vivien Mather performed brilliantly, both as a soloist and with
the band, and the audience was most appreciative of her wonderful voice.
Vickie Geddes, Laura McIllwaine and Leon Salter were feature soloists from the band and were well received by all.
Mary Moffat, who accompanied the soloists,was also worthy of applause.
Local identity Mr. LenPendlebury, who will be 90  next year, has recently retired from the band and was presented with a memento in appreciation of his many years of services.
Mr Pendlebury was a keen supporter of the younger members of the band coming up through the ranks and was always there to lend a hand in tutoring the learners.
During the evening sevwith era! awards were made in appreciation of support to the band.
Musical director Mr H. Davies was awarded the prestigious Victorian Band League medal for 35 years of service to banding.
Both Heather Salter and Bev Jago were presented with life memberships after serving on both the women's committees and general committee for several years.
The concert band, which was formed in 1991, presented its items well and the concert was rounded off with music items incorporating both bands.
The evening finished with the usual high standard of supper provided by the women.

IN the band . . . Sale Concert Band members (from left) Seren Macleod, Stuart McMahon, Matthew Sutherland, Brett Stephenson, Natasha French and BJorn Vodanovich at practice.

EVERY Friday between 4 p.m. and 5.30 p.m. during term time Sale City Band rooms echo to the lively strains of the Sale Concert Band.
Giving up their time to practise are between 30 to 50 students from almost every Sale school, both secondary and primary.
They are sometimes joined by senior members of the band who help to produce the big band sound.
"Sale needs to be aware of the potential of these young musicians, and the band is really here to encourage them in music," said band leader Hugh Davies.

"Some of our members have actually left Sale, to pursue studies elsewhere, but make an effort to return on Friday afternoons, coming from Ballarat and Melbourne to practise with the Concert Band."
The band was originally a junior brass band but about two years ago it changed to a concert band, which means it can cover a larger range of instruments from brass to reed, right up to the electric guitar.
Most secondary schools have bands but the concert band is a combined effort which gives the players an opportunity to mix with members from all the other schools.
The youngest members, who are in grade five at local primary schools, play along side VCE students at year 12.
"The best way to learn to play is in a group such as this where less confident players can share in the experience of seasoned performers, and be part of a great sound," said Davies.
"The only limit to the size of the band is the size of the band-rooms. If we can fit them in the doors, they can play with the band," he added.
The band has three main competitions that it plays during the year - the Sale and Yarram eisteddfods and a state-wide band competition in Box Hill.
It is available to play at other local functions by arrangement with the band leader.
The concert band also helps establish a basis for the senior brass band.

Membership of the concert band is only $10 a year, or $20 a family, and the cost of supplying your own uniform.
Sale Concert Band and other big bands will be heard at the Sale eisteddfod towards the end of May.
Hit the right note and go and hear some toe tapping music.

TUBA tune ... trying out some new instruments at the music and hi-fi show at the Princeton were Catholic College band members Rachel McIlwaine, musical director Hugh Davies and Simon Fink.

BLOW ... Sale City Band members Andrew Kirkham and his father Bruce share a music stand at a practice session.

SALE City band, winner of Sale Eisteddfod D grade brass band section, has a proud history behind it.

In the entrance to the band rooms are photos and memorabilia commemorating a similar win in 1908 when the then Sale Borough Band won the Gippsland band competition on October 1.

Today's band is a real family affair with at least five groups of parents and children playing alongside each other to give the band its big brass sound.

Some of the current band members like Mr Bruce Kirkham, learnt their music at the band when they were only children and now line up along side their children.

Mr Kirkham and his son, Andrew, share a music stand at practice.

The band has about 30 members, and is often called upon to support local functions, like the Anzac marches at Sale and Stratford.

Every Monday night finds members gathered at practice between 7.30 and 9.30 in the band rooms, under the baton of bandmaster Mr Hugh Davies.

"With so many young musicians coming on, music is thriving in Sale, and the band can only improve," said Mr Davies. "We are always looking for new members who want to share in our fine sound and enjoy the companionship of other musicians and their families."

Sale City Band was proud to be from Sale, and Sale should be proud to have such a great brass band, which was a wonderful ambassador for the city when it went away to compete.