Tag Archives: Grainger Wind Symphony

Musical Ecologies – The Grainger Wind Symphony

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In Melbourne, the capital of the State of Victoria, there are a number of community concert bands, brass bands, symphony orchestras, community choirs, numerous small ensembles including jazz, rock, and world music groups. Some are in geographical locations around Melbourne, some are attached to City Councils or to churches and religious communities. Many perform or present themselves in public mainly in their local area. No doubt the same variety is in other capital cities of Australia.

A new publication Musical Ecologies: Instrumental Music Ensembles Around The World explores the role community music plays out around the world and how various instrumentally based music-making communities operate as ecologies that allow notions of social, political and cultural agency and identity/ies. From the Abstract for Musical Ecologies: instrumental Music Around the World ed. Leon de Bruin, Jane Southcott 1st edition 2022 London: Routledge also taylorfrancis.com

The Grainger Wind Symphony was selected as one community instrumental ensemble of focus and the research findings make up Chapter 10 Training and Retaining Traditions: The Grainger Wind Symphony by Jane Southcott and Leon de Bruin click here.

The Grainger Wind Symphony formed in 1985 with the Inaugural Music Director George Logie-Smith, an icon in the Melbourne music scene, particularly in community choral and instrumental music. Roland was on the founding committee holding the position of Associate Conductor. It was approved as an Incorporated Association under the Act legislated by the Victorian Government in 1986. At the time, the primary reason for seeking this level of formality in the organisation was to protect the organising committee members. As the Incorporated Associations Act was updated in 2014, there was event greater clarification of processes, amongst other, to ensure members rights were articulated. In addition, The GWS has a number of other policies that protect the individual members. They include privacy Policy, Child Safety, and Policies for Code of Conduct, in particular Australian Live Performance Industry Code of Practice to Prevent Workplace Discrimination, Harassment, Sexual Harassment and Bullying. For more information about the GWS policies click here. These factors illustrate that The GWS was established as an ongoing community that clearly stated the purposes, goals and codes of conduct for all members.

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12 Emerging composers for wind symphony

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I am pleased to have given support to provide 12 emerging composers an opportunity to have their work workshopped and performed by The Grainger Wind Symphony conducted by myself.

The process began with a call for submissions from emerging Australian composers back in 2019. But COVID restrictions cause the performance to be postponed to 3 September 2023! The short-listed composers received detailed feedback on how the score and parts could be improved so performers could see their intentions more clearly. It took a lot of hours!

A total of 21 compositions were received, only 12 were selected for performance. After considering the suggestions, composers resubmitted their score and set of parts, which were then printed. Rehearsal commenced and composers were invited to come to a rehearsal for a chat. Some connected via video conferencing technology because they lived too far away. To meet the composer was an important link for every musician when performing their work.

Through the services of Paul, a member of GWS, each composer has received audio recordings of their work in rehearsal and performance. This was important so composers could hear how their work sounded by live musicians.

The concert was Saturday 3rd September 2022 in Salvation Army Box Hill Hall.

Since the concert, several composers have given feedback that they approved for posting publicly. To see the comments, click here.

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Two world premieres Batterham and Glenn “Made in Australia”

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Two composers have approached The Grainger Wind Symphony to have their original concert band work performed. The GWS is becoming well known in performing new and recent works. I am privileged to prepare and conduct the first performances.

  • Andrew Batterham is completing his composition folio for his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from the University of Melbourne. We are delighted to assist. The work Concertino for solo tuba and band is commissioned by Sérgio Carolino, tuba soloist, an extremely diverse and inquisitive performer. The work has forays into jazz, funk styles after an opening section couched in common-chord musical language developing traditional material in a slow, soulful way. Our soloist is Per Forsberg, a Swedish tuba soloists now resident in Melbourne.
  • Nathan Glenn is a young composer very much influenced by video games and film music. He is new to the concert band genre, but has developed his craft quickly. Nathan lives in Melbourne and is a IT developer by profession. His work The Settlers takes up the migrant story and bursts into music with contemporary popular flavours and energy.

The concert is “Made In Melbourne” and is presented on Saturday 21 February 2015 at 8.00pm in St Stephens Anglican Church, Church Street Richmond. The program includes other works by prominent Australian composers Percy Grainger (of course), David Stanhope (Sydney), the late Peter Sculthorpe (Sydney), and Brian Hogg Melbourne.

GWS MadeInAustralia 21 Feb 2015

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Near and Far – Grainger Wind Symphony at Deakin Edge

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Near and Far is the Grainger Wind Symphony’s first of four concerts at Deakin Edge, Federation Square. It starts 8.00pm Friday 4th April 2014.

There are two feature works being performed by The Grainger Wind Symphony.

– Lyrical Suite by Scott Cameron. This is a world premiere of a delightful and tuneful original work for concert band.

– Beau Webb playing solo baritone saxophone a concerto Pequena Czarda by Pedro Iturralde.

Guest artists are Geelong Community Band conducted by Kevin Cameron.

The GWS program will be performed in Bendigo on Sunday 30 March at 4.00pm at the Auditorium of Bendigo South East College, Ellis Street, Flora Hill as part of a workshop and concert with the Bendigo Colleges Symphonic Band co-directors Warwick Cohen and Jane Geddes.

 

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