2023 was a particularly busy and exciting year for WSSB. There was more of a focus on traditional band repertoire, Amparito Roca and Ralph Vaughn-Williams’ English Folk Song Suite, as well as programme music, Into the Storm, and lighter, entertainment pieces.
Rehearsals started in early February and our first big event for the year was our band camp at Camp Waihi in early March. The band travelled out to Camp Waihi where we stayed for 2 nights doing some team building and getting to grips with our new music for the year.
We were invited to collaborate with Waikato Diocesan’ Bel Suono’ choir and Tron Songsters for a concert at the Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts in early May. This was our warm up for the Matamata Festival of Music later that month. Although we did not reclaim our title at Matamata, our players performed well and it presented us with a great reflection resource as we started preparing for the NZCBA Festival.
This years’ festival was hosted at Westlake Girls High School by UniBand and West City Concert Band. WSSB was the only band from the Waikato to attend.
Our final performance of the year was at the Good Vibrations concert at St Paul’s Collegiate. WSSB joined up with the SPC Concert Band, Hukanui Primary Band & Waikato Symphonic Band for an evening of musical variety culminating with a massed band performance of Winged Victory by Brian Balmages. This concert as it was the last public performance for Stewart Stanbridge, Musical Director of Waikato Symphonic Band, before his retirement.
Our final rehearsal for 2023 took place on a sunny, but really windy, Thursday down at the Hamilton lake. Despite the wind, we played a little informal concert to parents, families, passers-by and went about our annual Chocolate fish awards. WE also farewelled our Assistant Conductor, Euan Safey, is setting off across the Tasman to further his conducting studies in Adelaide.
Waikato Schools Symphonic Band