SIEGE Announced as Open A Grade Brass Band Test Piece for 2023 Australian National Band Championships

1/9/2022

It is my great pleasure to announce 'SIEGE' has been set by the NSW Music Advisory Board as the Open A Grade Brass Band Test Piece for the 2023 Australian National Band Championships (plus 'Freefall' for the Junior Euphonium title!). It will be a great honour to hear the most exceptional Australian brass bands performing this work to its full potential in their quest for the first Australian National title in four years.

'SIEGE' is written in response to the Sydney Siege events of 15th and 16th December 2014. A sole perpetrator held 18 victims hostage in the Lindt Chocolate Cafe in Martin Place as part of a 16-hour siege. 'SIEGE' is an emotional response to the tension, unease and hurt caused by the event.

The opening section 'Day' captures the abrupt imposition of the sinister siege event upon an otherwise festive Sydney city morning. The response is chaotic and concerned, as Australia tries to interpret the situation unfolding within the building. The siege is seemingly unyielding, with even the frenzied escape of five hostages not easing the tension.

A crescendo of movement pushes the work into the haunting 'Night' section. The eerie quiet, coupled with the shimmering of Sydney's city lights only heightens the unease both within and beyond the cafe's walls. After more hostages escape, an alarming sense of foreboding surges over Martin Place. Two shotgun blasts from within the building instigates an armed police raid of the cafe. An explosion of 22 shots are fired, and the siege comes to an end. Four people are injured and three (including the perpetrator) are dead.

The final section 'Elegy' is dedicated to the lives of hostages Tori Johnson and Katrina Dawson, who were tragically killed during the siege. Solemn and reflective, 'Elegy' hopes to capture Australia's heartfelt response to the victims of the attack.

'SIEGE' was originally written in 2020 for the Open B Grade Test Piece for the 2021 Australian National Band Championships, which was unfortunately cancelled due to the ongoing pressures of the pandemic. Snippets of the 2020 version was recorded by Sydney City Brass (minus percussion due to workshop limitations) under the baton of Jason Katsikaris, which can be previewed on YouTube below.

In late 2021, I updated the work, promoting its difficulty to a 1st Section standard. This updated version will be the set work for the 2023 Nationals. Any bands who purchased an earlier version of the work will receive an updated score and parts from myself in due course for no additional cost.

My Ground Rules

For the sake of impartiality, I am flagging from the outset that I will not be providing any assistance to singular individuals or ensembles that is not made publicly available to all other competing bands. All information that will be adjudicated is in the score provided. An erratum will be provided to all score purchasers should errors on the score be identified.

I wish all the bands the very best of luck in their preparations and I look forward to seeing you all in Newcastle in 2023!