Gala features triple band treat

THE Hobart City Band’s Annual Winter Gala Concert in Sandy Bay on Saturday night will feature performances by all three of its ensembles.

The Hobart Youth Winds will be conducted by Alex Brown and will perform three works including Down

in the River by Jay Bocook. “They will also play Nurture by the young Melbourne composer Edward Fairlie,” Brown said.

“It is a beautiful new work composed just last year.

“Our major work, Portrait of a City by Philip Sparke, is a great showpiece for a young band and will highlight the ensemble’s skills to great effect.”

The Hobart Brass Band will perform a varied program, conducted by Claire Reade.

“It will include Gaelforce which is inspired by Irish dance,” Reade said.

“The percussion section will be highlighted in The Two Imps and the trombones in 76 Trombones. “Malcolm Arnold’s Little Suite for

Brass is a short but musically advanced and is a great favourite of bands.

“The band will also premiere a new arrangement by regular music director Robyn Males of Sounds of Silence.”

Under conductor Simon Reade, the Hobart Wind Symphony will perform the Armenian Dances of Khatachurian, Hammersmith by Gustav Holst, the Sheep Shearing

Song by Eugene Goosens, and Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance March No.1. They will also play The Warsaw Concerto by Richard Addinsell, with piano soloist Jo-Anne Kemp. “This work was composed for the 1940s film Dangerous Moonlight and is in the style of the Rachmaninov concertos,” Reade said.

“It was a great favourite in concert halls after the World War II and has remained a popular light concerto among pianists to this day.”

The Hobart City Band’s Annual Winter Gala Concert will be held in the Stanley Burbury Theatre (UTas, Sandy Bay) from 7pm Saturday. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 concession and $20 for families, available at the door.