City of Holdfast Bay
Concert Band
P O Box 773, Brighton, South Australia, 5048

 

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The City of Brighton Concert Band started on 21 January 1983 at the instigation and under the direction of Barry Sadler with support from the City of Brighton. Regular concerts were held in the town hall and around the community.  

 

Barry Rodgers, the first of our ex-army MD’s, became musical director in 1984 and established both the Big Band and the band uniform.

 

Stephen Boyle led the concert band in 1989 and the concert band competed in the national band championships between 1991 and 1994 winning the Open B Grade Championship in 91, 92 and 93 and coming third in Open A Grade in 1994. After the Brighton Town Hall became unavailable as a concert venue in the 1990s, the band began to use the Brighton Secondary School and other venues for concert performances.


Tom Cooper became musical director in the mid 1990’s. Tom a talented arranger, has contributed significantly provided many arrangements for the band. During this period the band moved to its current home Lipson Ave Seacliff in 1999-2000 and soon after the junior band and concert choir were formed.

 

Robin Kidney was the next musical director and is a founding member of the concert band. He has held many committee positions in the band and was the driving force in the establishment of the music centre complex. This immense contribution over many years, has been recognised in the naming of the main rehearsal area as the Robin Kidney Room.  He is a life member of the Concert Band.


Mike Noyce then led the band and was known as a very charismatic musical director.  He left the band to take over the direction of the Henley & Grange Concert Band.

 

Danny Dielkins held the position of musical director for almost 2 years introducing much new music and giving much polish to performance with good humour and attention to detail.

 

Alwin Kidney is the current band musical director taking the reins in early 2007. He has raised the standard of the band which for the first time in many years competed in the State Band Championships in August 2007 coming second in Open B Grade. The band then tried again in 2008 and were successful in taking out the Open B Grade title!

 

Rehearsals

These, which have always been held on Friday evenings, were first held in the dining hall at the Brighton Town Hall and later, at Hamilton College. Rehearsals are now held in the Music Centre at Lipson Avenue, Seacliff on a Thursday evening. The main rehearsal room was named the Robin Kidney Room in recognition of his role in negotiations with the council to secure the building.  
 
Regular gigs

Australia Day ceremony for the council in front of the BeacHouse every year.

 

Proclamation Day ceremony for the council at the Old Gum Tree every second year.

The band has for many years been a featured performer at Christmas Carol presentations including Pavana Park, Hallett Cove and O'Sullivans Beach.  

More recently, the band can also be seen marching in numerous Christmas Pageants including Glenelg, Norwood and Blackwood.

Competitions over the years include Southern Band Music Festival, Adelaide Music Festival, Tanunda, Strathalbyn, Unley Spring Festival, States, Nationals.

Joined with other bands including Goolwa, Henley & Grange, Noarlunga, Tutti Ensemble and the nationals with K&N and Adelaide Uni at Elder Hall, Westminster, St Peters College.

Awards
The band receive an award from the City of Holdfast Bay Council, jointly with the Henley & Grange Concert Band, for their combined concert at Brighton Secondary School in late 2004, featuring Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture.