Concert band back for Christmas

BENDIGO’S most enduring concert band will stage its first major performance in almost two years amidst the brilliant acoustics of St Paul’s Anglican Cathedral next Friday.

The City of Greater Bendigo Brass Band – originally known as the Sandhurst Volunteer Band when it formed in 1862 – will present its festive season celebration, A Very Brassy Christmas, with musical director Cally Bartlett pledging “lots of well-loved Christmas music” on the night.

“The sound of a brass band playing Christmas carols is so iconic and unique and we promise all of the favourites including Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Jingle Bells and O Come All Ye Faithful,” she said.

“It’ll be a feel-good performance that will leave the audience with a warm Christmas spirit.

“Everyone has missed live music, and here is a chance to see the brass band live for the first time a while! As musicians we have missed the stage and performances so much, and there is nothing quite like an appreciative audience!”

The performance can’t come soon enough for Bartlett and her cohort, with the “very active group” going from “a lot of performances in a year to nearly none in the last two years.”

“Rehearsing has also been very difficult,” she said. “We would get back to rehearsals as quickly as we could every time the restrictions eased.

““We have done so in small groups with a roster system, and socially distanced, but nothing replaces a full band rehearsal.

“We are all looking forward to being on stage in front of an audience. It is really what musicians create music for, and sharing our love and joy of music with our audience is our main reason for doing what we do.”

A Very Brassy Christmas takes place on Friday, 10 December from 6pm at St Paul’s Anglican Cathedral in Myers Street.

Tickets are available via bit.ly/3cXiop7.