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Hawthorn Junior Band |  |
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| A brief history :
Pictured at right : |
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In the beginning.......... According to a letter from the Hawthorn City Band to the Town Clerk of Hawthorn (dated 27.9.1963), on the 16th of March, 1959, one W. Granland was given permission to form a "junior band" under the auspesis of Hawthorn City Band. A meeting was held in the Hawthorn band room on 29th April 1960 when a Committee was formed. The original band came into being on 19th August, its first conductor was John Woods who later went on to be a fine tuba player, was associated for many years with bands in the Box Hill area and taught at the By late 1963, membership was "18 to 20 boys from 10 to 15 years of age". Senior band tenor horn player Harry U'ren was next to take up the baton about this time. Membership was somewhat depleted by the time the author joined in late 1964 although the first female member Rosemary Farrands was playing tenor horn by this time. Few players from this first incarnation made the transition to the Senior Band, these being Phillip Hunter and the author, although David Farrands continues to enjoy a successful musical career through the Melbourne Brass Ensemble and teaching/lecturing. This first band ceased existence in the early 1970's, probably due to lack of numbers. Latter incarnation..... Like many top adult ensembles, the senior band would usually draw it's membership from lower grade bands. By 1990, funding was secured to start a junior ensemble which commenced late that year under the direction of Arthur Withers and Jim Gardiner. Other senior band players were meant to also assist on an irregular basis. Within a few months, ex-player Lindsay Paterson (who at the time was teaching music at In 1993, the band undertook it's first contest. As Despite losing some original members, the band's standard was obviously progressing as individuals became more musically able, however traditional rivals and other bands seemed to pip the young Hawks on the contest stage from 1997. At the 1998 Nationals, the band was fortunate to have the services of young virtuoso Colin Clarke on Soprano Cornet, but the results still saw Hawthorn Junior place last out of 3 bands in "Jnr. C". In light of this, some on the senior band Committee thought it prudent to appoint one of their own to replace Lindsay Paterson as Musical Director. This was not liked nor accepted by the junior players and their parents, most withdrawing when Jason Mears took over mid year. Within a short time, only 3 members (from one family) were playing in a combined Hawthorn-Moorabbin Youth Band, a short-lived ensemble that only competed in one contest under controversial circumstances. Thankfully there continues to be a 'traditional' youth brass band in the Inner East of Melbourne; the Borroondarra Youth Brass rehearses in the Ferguson Stand of Glenferrie Oval in Hawthorn (next to the site of the original band hall) on Tuesday evenings and they always welcome new membership enquiries.
Boroondara Youth Brass website : |
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