Notes galore in quest for gold

The Royal New Zealand Navy Bandwill perform as part of theNational Concert Band Festival, andsome of itsmembers will be among the adjudicators. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

THERE will be toe tapping this weekend when 25 bands from as far south as Invercargill
and as far north as Orewa converge on the city for the National Concert Band Festival.

The event is hosted by the Rotorua Symphonic Band, which is aiming to win gold-one
better than last year's silver- at the competition.

The band is hoping for some local support this weekend, "unlike inAuckland last year when nobody knew us," said band committee chairman David Elliot.

It is holding a public concert in the Concert Chamber at 5pm on Saturday, and Mr Elliot said that during the festival the various bands would be playing songs most people would know.

"The selection of music will be very recognisable, definitely not high-brow and it will be
played by some of the finest concert bands in the country."

The Rotorua Symphonic Band would play a varied selection for the competition including songs from the Disney film Frozen and Greatest War Themes.

Unlike a brass band, a concert band included woodwind instruments as well as brass and
percussion, he said. So, saxophones, clarinets, oboes,flutes and bassoons join trumpets, trombones, euphoniums and tubas.

More than 900 musicians would be performing with their bands in the Civic Theatre.

Some would also be taking part in solos and ensemble performances in other venues at
the centre.

Festival band performances start at 9am today and finish at 4.30pm tomorrow.

The award ceremony at 7.30pm tomorrow will feature a performance by the New Zealand Youth Symphonic Winds Band.