U N L E Y U P D AT E

SUMMER 2015

Welcome to the first ever edition of Unley Update, a quarterly newsletter for Friends of the Unley Concert Band. This digital newsletter aims to keep you

updated with what’s going on both publicly and behind the scenes with Adelaide’s premier community concert band.

In this summer edition, we will be looking at the exciting performances in store for the next three months, as well as preparations for the SABA National Band Championships.

In February of 1997, a proposal was submitted to council for the formation of the Unley Concert Band. Three months later, the Unley Concert Band was born,

under the baton of Musical Director, Bill Kannaussaar.At the time, the UCB was the only marching concert band in the state and was

community-based, performing at council functions, school fetes, and other local events.

It was in 2002 that the band began competing locally, winning the SA Band Association Concert Band Championship under the direction of Dr. Kevin Cameron, who had been conducting the band since Kannaussaar’s departure in late 2000.

The band went from strength to strength, winning two more C grade state championships in 2003 before taking the leap to National competitions in 2004. The band competed in both C grade and B grade, winning the former by a record 95 points, and placing 5th in the latter. That same year, the band was promoted to A grade locally, and won the championship against all other major community bands in SA.

Since then, the band has competed regularly in State and National competitions - even travelling to Ballarat for the Victorian State Championships in 2008, where the band took out the B grade trophy.

The UCB made the jump to A grade National competitions in 2011, when the band placed 3rd overall - competing simultaneously in B grade, where the band lost by a mere half a point.

In late 2013, the Unley Concert Band bid farewell to Dr. Cameron after more than a decade of successful banding, welcoming Dr. Stephen Boyle as Musical Director.

More than just a conductor, Dr. Boyle is an active player in the band when on parade, and has settled into the band comfortably over the past 15 months.

This year will mark the 11th year that the Unley Concert Band has competed nationally, with the Australian National Band Championships taking place April 3rd - 6th. Live streaming will appear online at brasbanned.com. Stay tuned for more information regarding the Unley Concert Band’s Pre-Nationals concert set to be held in mid to late March.

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CONTENTS:1 Welcome3 Nationals 20154 Meet the Members4 Tour Down Under5 2014: A Year in Review5 Unley Concert Band Quiz Night6 2015 Event Schedule 2

AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL BAND CHAMPIONSHIPS 2015

The Australian National Band Championships is an annual competition held over 4 days of the Easter long weekend. Each year a different state hosts the event, and

bands from across the country come together to take part in a fantastic demonstration of community spirit, and a wonderful display of expert musical performances.

This year, Nationals will be held in Sydney, and will commemorate the centenary of the Gallipoli landings, featuring a Parade of Bands and Commemoration Service, which will take place with the support of the Sydney RSL.

From A grade through to D grade, each division has its own set piece which every competing band must perform. This year, these test pieces have been commissioned especially to draw themes from the ANZAC landings. The Unley Concert band will be competing in A grade once again this year, performing the test piece written by Graham Lloyd, 25th April 1915.

The competition requires each band to play four pieces of music. A Hymn piece, the aforementioned Test piece, a Stage March, and an own-choice piece for the band to really show what they can do.

Apart from the on-stage performance, the Unley Concert Band will also have members competing in Solo

and Ensemble events, some of whom have taken out the top prizes in their respective sections in previous years. The band will also be competing in the Parade of Bands - a street march in which the band regularly excels under the direction of Drum Major, Jeff Hale.

For those who are unable make the trip to Sydney, the competitions are usually streamed online at brassbanned.com - however, for those who might have Easter plans, the Unley Concert Band will be performing their Nationals repertoire at their Pre-Nationals Concert in March. For details, see the 2015 Event Schedule on page 6 ■

FUNLEY FACT:

The Unley Concert band has performed in the Credit Union Christmas Pageant for 9 consecutive years so far, with 2015 set to mark a full decade of participation.

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The streets of Adelaide and regional South Australia come alive each January, when the biggest cycling race in the southern hemisphere comes to town.

Now in it’s 16th year, the Santos Tour Down Under is a week long festival of cycling, with additional events usually held alongside the six main stages of the race. 126 riders from all 18 of the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) World Tour teams compete in the Tour Down Under, along side the Pro Continental Drapac team, and the Australian National UniSA Australia team - a total of 140 cyclists from around the world, battling it out in the South Aussie summer heat.

Since the first race in 1999, more than half of the overall winners have been Aussies - the first being Stuart O’Grady in 1999, and the most recent being Simon Gerrans in 2014. Gerrans also holds the most wins at the event, taking out first place previously in 2006 and 2012.

The Santos Tour Down Under is a huge part of the South Australian festive vibe, and the Unley Concert band is proud to take part in it. The band will be performing in march formation for the opening of the event’s second stage on January 21st. For more information, see the 2015 Event Schedule on page 6 ■

Dr. Stephen Boyle Musical Director

How did you become part of the UCB? I received an email from a member of the band who is a long-time friend. I spoke to her about the position and then applied to the committee and did a sort of audition.

What do you do for a living? I am the Academic Director and Deputy Head of UniSA College. I am also the Deputy Director of the Asia Pacific Centre for Arts and Cultural Leadership and an Adjunct Researcher

of The Culture and Leisure Industry Research Centre at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing.

What was your most noteworthy moment playing with the band? I think two moments – one playing at States (and winning) and two, working with the Cabra College students. (see “A Year In Review on page 5)

Which piece of music do you most like to listen to? Anything by Beethoven

Which piece do you most like to play/conduct? Anything by Percy Grainger

Do you play an instrument? I originally trained as a trombone player and was a member of the SA Police Band. I was also the Band Master of the band for 5 years.

What is your favourite quote? “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” - Milton Berle

What do you love about the UCB? The people and their commitment to the band. ■ 4

T O U RD O W N

U N D E R

M E E T T H E M E M B E R S

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For the Unley Concert band, 2013 ended with a bang. In January of 2014, the band was still adjusting to the recent departure of long standing musical

director, Dr. Kevin Cameron. Thankfully, we had already found a new leader in the form of Dr. Stephen Boyle - as it turned out, he and the band were a perfect match.

As it often does, change brought a sense of rejuvenation and excitement. The band kicked off it’s year with the Tour Down Under - always an enjoyable event, and one that we will be repeating again this year.

Over Easter, we travelled to Brisbane for the 2014 National Band Championships, and although the band wasn’t fortunate enough to earn top place in the competition, we had a few Solo and Party competitors who managed to take out gold in their respective divisions: Bass Clarinetist, Anna Day; Saxophonist, Dominic Meehan; and Percussionist, Levi Whitworth each brought home gold for the Unley Concert band, in what we all felt was a successful Nationals campaign.

We then went on to compete in the local arena, winning a handful of awards at the SA State Band Championships in August. Not only did we take home 1st place in the A Grade Concert division and 1st place in the street march, but our Drum Major, Jeff Hale was named Champion Drum Major of the event.

The band then took some time away from competing, to conduct a workshop/masterclass and concert for students of Cabra College. Band members sat in on a rehearsal with the students, and then split up into sections where the older players had a chance to work with the students more directly. The group combined once again to perform to an audience primarily composed of the students’ parents.

As usual, we played a number of Christmas pageants, following it all up with Unley Rotary’s Carols at the Rotunda, featuring Matt Noble and the Australian Girls Choir. This was one of few occasions on which the band has had to deal with microphones, foldbacks, and sound engineers - however it was a lot of fun, and a fantastic way to see out 2014.

We are now looking forward to the year ahead, busy organising venues, music choices, and - of course - our venture to Sydney for Nationals 2015. So far it’s shaping up to be a fantastic

year, and we can’t wait to share it with you! ■

UCB QUIZ NIGHTDo you ever find yourself answering all the questions in a TV quiz show? Do you enjoy knowing

random facts of little use? Is trivia kinda your ‘thing’? Then you will love the Unley Concert Band Quiz night!

When? Friday February 6th @ 7pm.

Where? Unley Community Centre

How much? $15 per seat for Adults / $10 per seat for Concession. Eight seats per table.

Bring your friends, bring a cheese plate (if that’s your style) and bring your thinking caps, because you’re in for an evening of exciting trivia with your

Quiz Masters Angelo Valdivia and Levi Whitworth.

For more details, keep an eye on our twitter account, and facebook page ■

2014: A YEAR IN REVIEW

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook, to keep up to date with future events:

@UnleyConcert /Unley.Concert.Band

Date Event Location

Wed. Jan 14 Tour Down Under, Stage 2 King William Road, near Opey Ave Free!

Fri. Feb 6 UCB Quiz Night Unley Community Centre

Sun. Mar 22 Pre-Nationals Concert TBC

Fri. April 3 - Mon. April 6

Australian National Band Championships Sydney

Sat. Mar 25 ANZAC Day Service and March Unley Memorial Gardens Free!

Sat. May 23 Unley Cabaret TBC

Sat. Jul 25 Formal Concert TBC

Sat. Aug 22 - Sun. Aug 23

South Australian State Band Championships TBC

Sat. Oct 31 Halloween Concert TBC

Sun. Dec 13 Carols at the Rotunda Unley Memorial Gardens Free!

EVENT SCHEDULE 2015

CONTACT

Levi Whitworth ucbsecretary@gmail.com

Secretary 0410 363 101

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Designed by Levi WhitworthPhotographs on page 2 and page 3 taken by Andreas Pretterhofer

@UnleyConcert

/Unley.Concert.Band

U C B . O R G . A U