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At last, the final instalment of my Preview and Prediction series for the Australian National Band Championships for 2019. With a week to go, it has been exciting to go through all the competing bands and recognise their achievements and motivations going into this year's very lively competition.
The A grade this year is set to be a sensational event, with 11 bands competing for the top spot (after the withdrawal of both Footscray Yarraville City and Holroyd Brass Band). There will be some regular contenders as well as some seemingly new bands to the A Grade competition. 
Test Piece – ‘Handel in the Band' by Kenneth Downie
The A Grade competition will once again step back in time, as they did last year with Thomas Doss’ ‘Time Machine’. Much like ‘Time Machine’, the context of the piece transports us right across history’s timeline, drawing musical motivation from Australian composer Percy Grainger, who, in turn, drew inspiration from George Handel.
‘Handel in the Band’ is a deceptively difficult work that will likely pose more musical challenges than ‘Time Machine’ and expose the end seats to some particularly daunting passages. Selected as the Championship Section Set Work for the UK Nationals in 2018, ‘Handel in the Band’ set a challenge that even the best of Britain could not overcome unscathed. But a challenging test piece need not be challenging on the ear; the piece includes strong contemporary writing that will make for an enjoyable afternoon for audience and bandies alike. This work is full of vibrant musical colour, emerging from witty use of texture and orchestration. Percussion are certainly not playing a subsidiary role; often they are driving the overall effect of the musical moments. Flugelhorn players across the country will be quaking in their shined black shoes coming out to play on Friday, but they are not alone; all principal seats have their moments in the spotlight. ‘Handel In The Band’ is a perfect work to decide a winner from the comprehensive A Grade competition: both the players and Musical Directors will be pushed to be at their very best. No Australian band has contested with ‘Handel in the Band’ before. Downie is also not regularly played by Australian A Grade bands. The last time a Downie work was set as the Nationals test work was ‘St Magnus’ in 2014 in Brisbane (perhaps the QBA MAB are Downie fans?). Brisbane Excelsior emerged on top overall, but were conquered on the test by no less than three bands, namely Preston, South Brisbane Federal and Brisbane Brass No 1. It has been a good five years since then, but perhaps Downie could be the unlikely Achilles heel of Howard Taylor and XCLR. All shall be revealed on Friday! Other Categories
However, I think the competition will be greatly shaped by the other three on-stage categories. For example, at the previous four Nationals, the winner of the Hymn work has been the overall on stage winner. Would a strong hymn selection this year define the competition again?
The Own Choice will of course have a great part to play in the overall competition. Will we see recent banding favourites, like Thierry Deleruyelle's 'Fraternity', Paul Raphael's 'Destination Moon' and Bert Appermont’s ‘A Brussels Requiem’? Perhaps some of the classic works of Eric Ball or Frank Wright will rear their heads, or maybe we will have the pleasure of enjoying a world or Australian premiere! Every piece will count this Easter weekend and I can’t wait to hear what the best of Australian banding has to offer. Predictions
The A Grade competition will be intense this year, with a new band to be crowned National Champion after New Zealand band Wellington Brass raised the Fireman’s Helmet in 2018.
Brisbane Excelsior looks to be the band to beat, having held the Australian National title for the majority of the last decade. A close 2nd place to Wellington last year makes them the front-runner of Australian bands. Also enjoying a home ground advantage are the South Brisbane Federal Band (the current Queensland State Champions), and Brisbane Brass (who finished in a respectable 6th place in last year’s 15 band A Grade National Competition). Both of which will be stretched by Downie’s writing compared to the 2018 Queensland State Championship A Grade test work, Phillip Harper’s ‘Kingdom of Dragons’. Also joining the Queensland Bands will be recently promoted 2018 B Grade National Champions Cairns Brass No. 1, who will want to leave an impressive imprint on the A Grade competition. From New South Wales are the NSW State Champions Warringah Concert Brass, who will be looking for a podium place after their 5th place at last year’s Nationals. They will also joined by Willoughby City Band, who placed 13th at the 2018 Australian National Championships. The furthest travellers are Tasmanian A Grade contender Glenorchy City Concert Brass and Western Australian WA Brass. WA Brass has been absent at the Nationals since 2013, but have put up some formidable performances of the world’s toughest modern test works at their State Competitions, including ‘Fraternity’ and ‘Breath of Souls’. They have also acquired the musical direction of David Bremner for this year's contest, so they will be playing superbly! Glenorchy City Concert Brass were unable to retain their A Grade State title in 2018 but young conductor Nathaniel Griffiths has been a valuable addition and makes Glenorchy a true dark horse in the mix. Two bands from my home state of Victoria will also be venturing north, after failing to secure a placing in 2018’s home ground Nationals. Darebin City Brass – Preston Band will be a hot favourite, particularly following a busy contest season in 2018. They tackled both the Australian and New Zealand Nationals as well as the Victorian State Band Championships, keeping their competition chops hotter than most. Kew Band, led by Broden Ford, will be set to impress again, after a comfortable 7th place finish at the Nationals and a close 2nd place at the Victorian States to Preston. However, the greatest mystery shall be Sydney City Brass. I’ve heard rumours it will amalgamate some of the best of Australian banding (perhaps some of Central Coast considering their non-appearance at the Nationals?). With no track record, it is difficult to predict how this new band will tackle the A Grade competition. However, with Australian banding great Jason Katsikaris at the helm, could Sydney City Brass be the wild card band to knock XCLR off the top spot? A very comprehensive competition of bands, with the majority of the contenders possessing a real possibility for a high finish. The newly crowned champion will have to play at their very best right throughout the Easter weekend to secure this year’s championship. With that all in mind, here are my predicted top 5 bands: 1) Brisbane Excelsior 2) WA Brass 3) Darebin City Brass – Preston Band 4) Warringah Concert Brass 5) South Brisbane Federal Wild Cards: Sydney City Brass, Kew Band, Brisbane Brass *This article has been kindly edited by Annie Pirotta* That is the last of this year's Australian Nationals Previews and Predictions! Good luck to all the competitors playing over the weekend! If you are up in Brisbane and see me around, don't be afraid to say hello!You might also like...
1 Comment
David L Morris
14/4/2019 09:35:58 pm
Concise & well informed comment from a man who takes the contest field seriously.In my opinion there have been some seriously questiuonable adjudiocations in A grade over the last 5 years. Leave a Reply. |
AuthorJared has written articles for the British Bandsman, as well as local community radio stations 3MBS and Radio Monash. 
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