S a l e C t y B a n d
Newspaper Articles: 1980 - 1999
Busy Month for Band
STEPPING out . . . Sale City Band members travelled to Walhalla to take part in a play-off with other Gippsland bands.
SALE City Band had a busy month in March. During March the band was involved in the celebrations for the anniversary of permanent settlement of Sale, leading the parade on Saturday, March 4.
The band also held an extremely successful pioneer cabaret on March 3 and band members gave a demonstration of marching, played Happy Birthday and finishing with congratulations.
The band also played at several other functions during the celebrations and finished by taking part part in a pioneer concert organised by Derek Nichols.
The pioneer concert featured the Sale City Band, the Maffra Shire Pipes and Drums, and the Sale Singers, and combined with community singing.
Glady's Campbell, violin, accompanied by Derek Nichols on pianoforte, entertained the crowd and then played a selection of waltzes for a demonstration of the waltz by a dance team led by Peter and Nola Mowbray.
Sale City Band also took part in a combined bands play-out at Walhalla on March 20. There were four bands involved, the Woorayl Municipal Band, Hastings Concert Band, City of Traralgon Band and the Sale City Band. These bands form part of the Gippsland Band Group which is affiliated to the Victorian Band's League.
There were about 120 people in Walhalla who shared the fellowship of playing and listening in near perfect conditions. Each band took a turn playing in the band rotunda for an hour and gave visitors to Walhalla an unexpected treat.
"Sale City Band is always happy to be part of community life in our city," said band master Hugh Davies. "We enjoy sharing our music with the public, and hope that Sale will support us.
"The band offers a good opportunity for people of all ages to come together to gain something from the fellowship of music."
The band finished month with a sausage sizzle at the band rooms for Sale concert band and brass band.
Sale concert band wins at eisteddfod
The band won the Arthur Bunn Memorial Shield Open Group.
It gave an excellent performance, filling the Regent Theatre with brilliant sounds.
Rachael Mcllwaine, Sale City Band member, was placed second in the brass solo 14 to 17 years section, with a trombone solo, described by the adjudicator as "soulful".
Honor Cowie, who plays flute with the Sale band, was second in the Esso-BHP Australia instrumental championship open.
In the instrumental duet or trio 16 to 18 years Sale band percussionist Matthew Sutherland and Jason Glover were first.
"Playing for an audience, and having your playing evaluated is a great way for musicians to increase their knowledge and to improve as players," said Hugh Davies, music director for the band.
The band currently is preparing to compete at a band competition in Box Hill later this month.
Students' Band Camp
PLAYERS from the Sale City Band and the Sale Concert Band, were among students who attended a recent band camp held at Woonbinda outside Yallourn.
Fifty-eight students from seven different Gippsland bands took part in the Victorian Bands League camp.
Other camps were held at Bacchus Marsh and in the Wimmera, for students across the state.
Every student attending was required to have been a member of a brass band for at least 12 months.
Some students came from as far as Bairnsdale, in the east, and Warragul, in the west, with representatives from Sale, Maffra, Woorayl, Morwell and Traralgon.
Warragul Municipal Band music director Bruce Armstrong said the camp has had 800 music students pass through its doors over the 14 years it has been running.
The students gave a free concert at the Newborough Public Hall at the end of the camp to demonstrate the value of learning and playing together.
Music chosen for the concert gave the musicians an opportunity to show off their skills.
Some of the pieces chosen were Three Kings of Swing, All Through the Night, Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves, Jurassic Park and What a Friend We Have in Jesus.
Five of the band members played an own arrangement of Sweet Georgia Brown which had audience toes tapping.
The concert finished with a fabulous arrangement called Grace at Eventide which is a combination of Amazing Grace and The Last Post.
"Camps such as this are great for music in our conununities and fantastic for band members to enhance their skills," Mr Armstrong said.
The good fellowship that develops and the love of music makes it well worth while."
Sale band elects office-bearers
Mr Joyce was elected president of Sale City Band committee at a recent meeting.
Sale City councillor Brenda Burditt complimented the band on another successful year and said she was particularly touched by the band's performance at the Sale Anzac parade.
Ray Jago will take on the vice presidency, Bruce Kirkham is treasurer, Bev Jago secretary, Mary Clarke assistant secretary, Chris Clarke and Matthew Sutherland junior representatives, Heather Wood property officer, Doug Tulip librarian and Bill Sutherland instrument officer.
Before a small audience, which included representatives of the Maffra and Traralgon bands, the Sale City Combined Band played a few short pieces to demonstrate the range of music played by the band.
Band master Hugh Davies said the band had attended over 30 playouts during the year, had taken third place at the eisteddfod in Traralgon and first place in Sale.
