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ABODA Festivals and Events (August 2009)
Each year, the individual ABODA State Branches contribute to music festivals around the country. Aside from just attending these events with their own school, community, and professional ensembles, ABODA members and Officers take an active role as festival administrators, tutors, adjudicators, and hands-on-deck.
In Adelaide, ABODA SA will hold its annual South Australia School Band and Orchestra Festival in Westminster School Performing Arts Center. From Wednesday 12 August through Friday 14 August, ensembles will perform selected works and test pieces before reknowned domestic and international educators and performers. String ensembles and orchestras (12 August) will be adjudicated by string performer and conductor Mitch Brunsden, OAM. Concert bands in novice to advanced categories (13-14 August) are visited by adjudicators Steve Eads and Peter Foley. In the big band jazz category, Mr Foley will be joined by the well-known lead trumpeter Mr Ray Vega (USA).
In Victoria, the annual Billy Hyde Melbourne School Bands and Melbourne School Strings Festivals began on Tuesday 6 August at Monash University, Robert Blackwood Hall. The well-established festival continues for a full two weeks, attracting ensembles from interstate, Tasmania, and New Zealand. ABODA members serve as tutors, adjudicators, and performers throughout the festival ... too many ABODA members and services to list. You can find their names and bios in the festival program, as well as view live performance video, at the festival website.
The 30th Annual Western Australian Schools' Concert Band Festival and 20th Annual Western Australian Schools' Orchestra Festival at Perth Modern School are a major part of ABODA WA's 2009 calendar. The festivals are jointly run and supported by ABODA WA and the Western Australia School of Instrumental Music, a government educational body. Each gathering provides a unique opportunity for WA students and performers to view each others' work, receive critical commentary from other guest educators and performers, and be recognized for their own achievements in music and performance. This year, the two WA festivals will provide for a record number of attending ensembles in each category.
The work of ABODA members helps keep these and other music events in Australia alive and well. If you are an active part of similar events in your region, consider joining ABODA to further share and expand your expertise as a performer and leader. ABODA members with their own events and activites are encouraged to contact the National Secretary to add their events to the National Calendar.