Kia ora koutou katoa - welcome to the Wellington Brass diaries!
This is Reuben Brown - euphonium player and associate conductor with Wellington Brass Band - and I’m excited to kickstart these little diary insights ahead of our trip to the prestigious World Music Contest (WMC) in Kerkrade, the Netherlands. Over the coming weeks, you’ll hear from a number of our players as we prepare for and take part in the WMC - each player with their own perspective, stories, secrets, and jokes. It’s fair to say that the WMC is the pinnacle event for Wellington Brass Band this year, especially after our invitation arrived nearly two years ago. In these final days, emotions are running at an all-time high, suitcases are being weighed over and over, and parts are now well learned - or should be!
Since the start of the year, our Musical Director, David Bremner, has been pushing the band beyond our high artistic horizons. We’ve tackled formidable repertoire for our beloved NZ Brass Band Championships, welcomed new and talented musicians into the band, adapted to a new conductor at the helm, and, perhaps most importantly, set new records for ‘most time spent at the bandroom’. At each rehearsal, David is constantly carving us a golden path, giving us a clear understanding of the job ahead and the tools to get there. Our rehearsals are often run with high expectations, but with an underlying shared love of banding. So if you’re expecting a downtrodden and gruelling rehearsal, consider the opposite instead - we’re a band of friends after all.
Across the euphonium-baritone section, we’re excited to really be in the swing of things. Some rehearsals have been a little tough with my secondment to the podium, or Ethan’s holiday on the bandroom couch after a mini golf ball to the face. Regardless, we’re a team that’s stoked to be en route to the Netherlands. We’re also looking forward to expanding at either end of the section - Luke Spence returns to the helm as principal euphonium, and we welcome Janna van de Velde as she holds up the tail end with the baritones! This is easily the most stacked section I’ve ever sat alongside.
The WMC is now only weeks away and we’re so excited to be heading overseas to perform alongside the world’s best brass bands! Going toe-to-toe with bands we have idolised and looked up to for years is quite an overwhelming experience, often considered with bewilderment and wide eyes. I’m excited to be performing a very Kiwi programme for the judges and our idols to lap up, with some works written by a couple of our very own bandies (shout out Jack and Kodi)! We’ll also be joined by a few friends of the band in the Netherlands - I’m particularly excited to have Clarke Spence back in the front row, bringing our Spence total up to three Spences. Quite the reunion!
Keep an eye out for more diary entries from across the band - expect rehearsal woes, regular travel updates, and hopefully no border control accidents!
Ciao x
Reuben
Some photos from recent rehearsals, courtesy of Daisuke Hayashi.
