Play out for Friends and Family - Christmas tunes, solos and a family band.

After a year of many rehearsals, the merry cherry and bright came to town with our friends and family play out. We invited guests to watch the band perform, and a few soloists and family group perform.

Thank you to Malcolm Barr for your input for the Christmas season 2024.  We could not do this without you.  

Thank you to Richard Lummus who kindly took photos at this performance so we have these beautiful images to remember the event by. Our new Musical Director Michelle came along to see the band in action and meet everyone (We are looking forward to your input in 2025 Michelle!! Welcome to the band).

Hannah performing the solo she played at regional contest

Lizzie gave us a hand in the front row

Clive and Hilary (Soprano and Repiano)

Anessa gave us a hand from HCB

Sandra

Katie playing the solo she played at regional contest

Hilary on Repiano

Quentin gave a hand from HCB

George, Rowan and Ethan

Leighton lent a hand from HCB

The Ginever family Quartet

One of our Brass Factory players who has moved up for the Christmas season

Claire gave a solo performance of a piece she played at regional contest.

Michelle, with that smile she must be suitably impressed by her new band.

Hannah came up from Brass Factory to play in Hamilton Auxiliary for the Christmas season

Opeti lent a hand from HCB

One of our Brass Factory Players who has just moved up to Auxiliary

Robert gave a wonderful solo performance of Frosty the Snowman 

(supported by Hamilton Auxiliary Brass)

 

Geoff playing a solo 

James playing a solo

Sandra playing a solo

Morrinsville Christmas Parade 2024

 

We had a wonderful Christmas Parade led by Malcolm Barr (HCB) playing his little yellow trombone!

Thanks to "helpers of the band" Ayesha from Matamata Brass (percussion), Quentin HCB (Cornet), Leighton HCB (Eb Bass)  and Anessa HCB

National Secondary Schools' Brass Band

National Secondary Schools' Brass Band 2024

This year we were represented by Anessa Ginever and Lizzie Barr (both were selected while playing for Hamilton Auxiliary and then moved up to Hamilton City Brass Senior Band). Anessa played Principal Trombone and Lizzie 2nd Cornet in the NSSBB Band. This is the second time the girls have represented in this prestigious brass band. Who knows what the future will bring? Sandra Ginever was also attending this course as the NSSBB Course Manager. This was Sandra's final year as band manager (after four years of service to the band). Also, the band played a couple of pieces by HCB composer, Leighton Ginever. Te Reo Genefaas (HCB musician) also had a hand in this year's course designing this year's graphic designs. 

About the NSSBB (in brief for our younger Auxiliary Band members)... You have to be attending a high school (or similar i.e. correspondence school) in New Zealand. It is not essential to be playing in a band, but you do have to meet a certain performance criteria and prepare an audition video. Applications usually open up in February/March with application date in May/June... There are presently two brass bands (NSSBB & NSSBB Development Band) so many students get to experience this opportunity. The course takes place in September/October school holidays. The course usually has many hours of rehearsals, social activities and tutorials with expert tutors. The Musical Directors are great... there is so much to learn on the course. The culmination of the course is a concert performance with each band playing separately as well as together (one LARGE band!!). The course usually runs in the October School Holidays for 4-5 days. This year there were  82 students from Auckland to Invercargill. 

If you are interested in this opportunity talk with Lizzie and Anessa or Sandra... also,  former band members include: James (in Auxiliary), Walter (HCB) and Leighton (HCB).

Links to selected performances:

Ka Waiata Ki A Maria (NSSBB with Development Band & staff choir)

Flight  Development Band

You Can't Stop the Beat Development Band

Hourglass: Sands of Time  (NSSBB in rehearsal)

Telephone (Combined Band)

Locked out of Heaven  (Combined Band)

  

WaiBOP representatives: Lizzie, Anessa and Harper (from Tauranga)

All 82 students plus band staff 

Lizzie in with the cornets sections (both bands)

Another view of the full band

WaiBop representatives: Lizzie, Anessa, Sandra & Harper

Regional Contest 2023 - Band Events 21 September 2024

Waikato - Bay of Plenty Regional Contest

Wahoo - Band Regional D Grade Champions

Click on the links to see the performances

You Can't Stop the Beat:

Dark Side of the Moon

Colne

Concerto d'Aranjuez

Brass Machine

Performance in the Gallagher Theatre (shared with Hamilton City Brass and the Victorian Youth Brass Band)

We had a great time performing at the Gallagher performing Arts Centre at the University of Waikato.  This event was called "Tutti" which essentially acknowledged the three bands who performed: Hamilton Auxiliary, Victorian State Youth Brass Band, Hamilton City Brass. 

Thank you to Todd Smith for stepping up to take Hamilton Auxiliary Brass (as well as Hamilton City Brass) as we prepared for Regional Contest. We had a great time with you waving your magic wand in front of us.

Thank you to Richard Lummus for your spectacular photos of this momentous occasion.

 

HAMILTON AUXILIARY BRASS BAND

VICTORIAN STATE YOUTH BRASS BAND

&

HAMILTON CITY BRASS BAND FROM TWO ANGLES

Hamilton Auxiliary Brass Band: We played our set for regional contest (a couple of these pieces are uploaded - others are on the Regional Contest day blog:

Can't Stop the Beat, Colne, Dark Side of the Moon, Brass Machine and Concert d'Aranjuez

Hamilton City Brass performing Toccata (also one of their regional contest pieces)

Charlie from HCB supporting percussion

Lynn and Vonya

Vonya

Geoff

Etuini

Rowan

Arnav

Todd leads the way

Jessica 

Todd ready to cast another spell!!

Robert

Trombone section!!

Lynn, Vonya, Liam, Sandra, Robert

Torrie

Bryan our compère

Todd seems happy with the band after the performance

Todd full of concentration

James

Principal Cornet George

Jessica playing her solo

Liam