General News
1 June, 2023
Busy year for Warrack Band
Submitted by president Colin Newell The Warracknabeal and District Band have had some exciting activity over the last few months, with visitors, celebrations and donations capping off the first half of 2023. Noel Taylor At our Annual Meeting earlier...
Submitted by president Colin Newell
The Warracknabeal and District Band have had some exciting activity over the last few months, with visitors, celebrations and donations capping off the first half of 2023.
Noel Taylor
At our Annual Meeting earlier in the year, long-time player and member Noel Taylor received a Life Members Badge for his 60 years of commitment to brass music and the Warracknabeal and District Band.
Back in the 1960s, after spending a short time learning piano, Noel heard that Ken Smale was running a band school in the old Band Hall in Lyle Street, and he decided to join.
He was taught to play the cornet and trumpet, and started playing with the Warracknabeal and District Brass Band, progressing through the ranks from 3rd cornet to solo cornet, and playing soprano cornet for a time.
As years went on he progressed to the tenor horn and is currently playing the baritone.
Noel has been an active committee person, becoming secretary in 1966, and after training in Ballarat lead the band as drum major for two years after the passing of long-time drum major Bob Ashfield.
Noel also played with a lot of other bands over the years, and is known as “The Golden Trumpeter” within the Masonic Lodge.
Noel, in his acceptance speech, gave credit to Ken Smale for his knowledge of music and his patience in teaching him the various instruments.
He said he has made many friends through his time involved in banding.
The Band congratulates Noel and hopes he still has many more years of playing ahead.
John Heath
The Band also had a very generous gift presented to it by long-time musician John Heath.
John started playing with the Warracknabeal and District Brass Band in 1960 under the baton of his father, Frank Heath from Sheep Hills - a highly respected bandmaster.
John was also tutored by Ken Smale on cornet and was gifted a Bb cornet by his parents when he was 20 years old.
John moved away with his education, but always made an effort to return to the family farm when possible and, when he did so, was a regular attender at Band rehearsal.
He timed his visits to assist with public performances when he could, and he also played with the Dimboola and Natimuk Brass Bands whenever he was around.
John was, for several years, Assistant Librarian and, along with Rodney Ashfield, Bruce Hunter and Malcolm Brown, converted the vast music library from a number system to the current alphabetical system - a very large task.
While living in the Newcastle area, John played with the Toronto Brass and Waratah Brass Bands, playing tenor horn and Eb tuba.
Following his retirement, John purchased his own EEb tuba at a cost of $13,000, and has played this until recently.
He has now retired from playing.
John attended a recent rehearsal and gifted his cornet and his EEb tuba to the Warracknabeal and District Band - a very generous donation which is much appreciated by the band members.
The Band
The Warracknabeal and District Band are looking at becoming more active in the community, since the pandemic curtailed our activities over the last few years and caused us to cancel a couple of scheduled performances.
The first of our performances will be at Brim Hall on Sunday July 23, and the second at Warracknabeal Town Hall on Sunday August 20.
This will be a great opportunity for the public, and our valuable Patrons, to listen to our diverse range of music, so keep an eye out for further information.
The Warracknabeal and District Band Inc are a vibrant group of musicians with varying ability, with our brilliant musical director Jason Wright.
We are offering a chance to any person, of any age, to learn an instrument or to renew your skills learnt at school.
Contact any of our members or president Colin Newell on 0417505799 for further information.
The Band currently has members playing various reed/woodwind, brass, keyboard and percussion instruments, and is always looking for anyone interested in joining us.