Gawler Town Band has been under the direction of newly appointed MD Bruce Raymond for a few months now and has a fun filled concert coming up: 1st November at 7.30pm at the Zion Lutheran Church, Cowan Street, Gawler.  Cost is $12 per person.  For bookings they can contact Nicki on 0412 804 693.

2014 South Australian State Band Championships have sucessfully showcased the vaiety of bands, soloits and ensembles this state has to offer in the scenic township of Hahndorf. SABA congratulates all the participants from the weekend.

Open A Concert Band - Unley Concert Band
Open B Concert Band - Trinity College 
Open C Concert Band - Holdfast Concert Band
Junior Concert Band - Pulteney Grammar School

Open A Brass Band - Tanunda Town Band
Open B Brass Band - Marion City Band
Open C Brass Band - Enfield Brass
Open D Brass Band - Warriparinga Brass
For a full list of band, party and solo results, see results page.

SABA would like to thank those involved in the weekend, in particular adjudicators, accompanists, volunteers and those who assisted the association with providing necessary equipment and logistics for such a busy event. SABA would like to thank Brass Banned for attending and streaming the event and the township of Hahndorf for being such cooperative hosts. It was pleasing to see band members participating in the massed march and rotunda events across the weekend. This was very well received and brought the event out into the public where it is seldom seen. Unfortunately a administrative error prompted a change in the final results that were announced on the day but this has been rectified with the bands involved. If you would like clarification on this, please speak to your band secretary or band SABA delegate.

SABA supports all member bands from South Australia and aims to promote all banding events, competitions, concerts and fundraising initiatives. SABA encourages all band members to get involved - the SABA AGM will be held this Friday 26th September at Enfield Band Hall - see your band secretary for more details.

This is a reminder to all those who won perpetual trophies at the last State Championships to bring them with them to the competition before the scheduled events so they can be presented. If you are not attending the championships before the scheduled events, you can return the trophies to your band secretary or directly to SABA before this weekend.

A reflection by Craig Wood, Mount Gambier City Band: While the Mount Gambier City Band was disappointed with its results in the C Grade Victorian Band Championships in Ballarat yesterday, the band's players and Musical Director Jarrod Harrison were not disappointed with their performance. 

In a tough competition held at the historic Her Majesty's Theatre, the band scored lower than expected in the performance of four pieces of music, including the test Piece: "Sinfonietta" by Gordon Langford. Eventual winners. the City of Traralgon band won the points tally and took the mantle of Victorian Champions from Darebin City Northern Brass who finished unplaced.

The local band takes solace from the overwhelming number of supporters who contacted the band before and after the contest. For the first time, the brass championship performances were streamed on live video through the internet and the City bands' on stage showing was watched by many Mount Gambier residents and followers.  
Musical Director Jarrod Harrison, showing why he is considered in band circles as a most promising up and coming leader, took responsibility for the band's performance. He stated that the band had played as he had asked them, and had not left any thing out of the stage performance. 

In music competition it is always difficult to know the specific expectations of an adjudicator about a piece of music on a particular day. Getting each player to share the same expectations is also problematic. And unfortunately for the City band, it was a simple case of the interpretation and technique not being what the adjudicator, Sean Preist from Tasmania, was looking for on the day.  

Mr Harrison has now taken his charges to four band contests in two and a half years, and regardless of Sunday's results, the band has experienced significant growth and  improvement over that time.  

With business as usual, the City band will continue rehearsing and combining contests with community service. Individual players will represent the city in the South Australian Solo Championships in September before the local Senior's Concert at the Band Hall in October. The band also looks forward to the Christmas Parade, the Lions' Club Blue Lake contest and the Limestone Coast Tattoo, all in November.

Craig Wood,
Secretary: Mount Gambier City Band