Concert band's farewell series

THE Derwent Valley Concert Band (DVCB) is about to leave Tasmania – again. Nearing its 20^th anniversary, the band is preparing for its ninth overseas tour. As part of the tour preparations, the band will present a series of free concerts at venues in New Norfolk and Hobart. The first of these hour-long concerts will be presented in the New Norfolk War Memorial Hall on March 25 at 2.30pm. The next concert in the series will be on May 19 in St David’s Cathedral, Hobart, at 7.30pm. The band will also perform at the Derwent Valley Autumn Festival on April 1.

The band was established in New Norfolk in 1993 because of a perceived need for a local band to cater for musicians of all ages in the New Norfolk community and the wider Derwent Valley. The upcoming three week tour of Poland and Austria follows last year’s visit to Tasmania by the Nadarzyn Wind Orchestra. This fine ensemble was hosted by the DVCB and even with little language in common, members of the two bands became firm friends.

“The DVCB is looking forward immensely to spending time with them again and performing together in some of the marvellous Polish venues,” musical director Layton Hodgetts said.  “Concerts have been organised for the major centres of Poznan, Kolo, Klodowa, Nadarzyn and Warsaw,” he added. “The tour actually begins in Austria and the very first performance will be given in the magnificent baroque Kollegien-Kirche in Salzburg. Sharing the program will be Postmusik Salzburg, another wind ensemble with which the DVCB has retained close ties since their first meeting in China in 1999,” Mr Hodgetts said.

From Salzburg, the band will proceed to Schladming where it will participate in the Mid-Europe Wind Orchestra Conference, a major festival on the European calendar which attracts more than 40 ensembles (over 2500 musicians) from countries all over the world. The band will participate in workshops and give several concerts, one of which will be entirely devoted to Australian music for winds.  This program will include the international premiere performances of new works by Simon Read and Mark Buys - commissioned especially for this tour.