Carols at ShireLive was the last official gig for the Willoughby Band in 2009. This event brings to close a year full of changes and challenges for the Band Members and Committee.

The Willoughby Bands will be in recess until the first rehearsal on 18th January, 2010.

I wish to thank each Members of the Band for their dedication and commitment to the performance of quality music through out this year. I also wish to thank your current hard working Committee who serve to administer the matters of the Band with wisdom and understanding. 

2010 will be a year of change for the Band and a never ending list of Musical Mountains to climb. The fun is in the adventure, the education, and the passing on the musical skills to those who wish to take up the challenge. Rest up over the Christmas break and spent time with your families for 2010 will be bigger and better than any other year for the Willoughby Band.

Have a safe and peaceful time over this Christmas period and come back to Band with renewed energy and enthusiasm.

Willoughby Brass Band ventures into the Sutherland Shire.

It was the first time for many members of the Band to perform in the Shire. The people at ShireLive were most friendly and made us feel very welcome for their Christmas Carols Service. 

This was a high tech gig with the big screen live video, lights and booming sound. The Band backed various solo singing artists during the evening and the male and female choir. The audience of over 500 really got into the spirit of Christmas with the Carols and when Santa arrived the kids went wild.

Willoughby Band Members are now becoming a little more comfortable with Warwick’s style of presentation and dressed up in colours, Santa Hats and tinsel to add to the spectacle.

A big thank you to Warwick for inviting the Band to perform at this high profile gig.

Last Saturday night Willoughby Band played Christmas Carols for the local residents around Willoughby Park.

The Band was accompanied by the Willoughby Choir and guest soloists.

This was very much a community event with the local Rotary Club cooking up great sausage sandwiches and StreetWork selling programs and candles.

The Band members were dressed up in Santa hats and tinsel. It was great to work with the Willoughby Choir again and look forward to our Concert with them in November 2010.

The 50th Anniversary Concert has been our best attended concert for the year. This was the first Concert with Warwick Tyrrell and the Band was little out of their comfort zones with the streamers and party poppers but come the second half of the concert we were well into the sprit of things. Well done Warwick.A highlight of the Concert was the guest trumpet soloist Geoffrey Payne who played magnificently. A big thank you to Andrew Snell who conducted a number of pieces during the afternoon.

The photo gallery of the evening is now online (click here)

(link: http://gallery.me.com/sandford#100075) 

The slideshow on the night is also available for download (click here)

(link: files.me.com/sandford/udlqsp) 

Members of Willoughby Band made a huge splash at the State Solo and Party Competition over the weekend of 27th-28th June2009.

The band is particularly proud to announce that Brian McGuinness, Principal Cornet of our Senior Band and Musical Director of the Youth Band, delivered a spectacular performance of the Arutunian Concerto to take out the last ever T. E. Gawn Memorial Trophy.

A special mention also to Mark Coleman who took out the Open Tenor Horn event, beating the reigning National Champion of Champions, Bruce Myers. 

Our congratulations as well to Jeffrey Ma, winner of the Open Euphonium, who triumphed over such seasoned campaigners as Matthew Van Emmerick and Daniel Alexander.

Full results from the weekend:

Youth Band Members

Senior Band Members

Brian McGuinness - Winner - T.E. Gawn Trophy
2nd - Open Bb Cornet
=9th - President's Sheild 
Mark Coleman - 1st - Open Tenor Horn
Jeffrey Ma - 1st - Open Euphonium
Rhiannon Davis - 2nd - Open Soprano Cornet
Harvey Drysdale - 6th - Open Tenor Horn
 =9th - President's Sheild 
Anthony Marsden - 8th - Open Euphonium 

Groups

Trombone Quartet - Peter O'Brien, Andrew Sambell, Anne Mason and Paul Mason - 1st - Open Quartet
Brass Quartet - Brian McGuinness, Gemma Hogg, Mark Coleman and Jeffrey Ma - 2nd - Open Quartet 

The Band's warmest congratulations to all involved in making this year one of the best for Willoughby Band soloists.

The second concert in our successful 2009 Concert Series, Broadway Brass, was thouroughly enjoyed by audence and band members alike.

As well as a collection of the best Broadway music of all time, the concert featured 3 fantastic soloists.

Peter O'Brien, our principal trombonist gave a stunning performance of Losing My Mind from Stephen Sondheim's Folies;

Siobhan McGuinness, vocalist extroadinarre (and principal euphonist from our Youth Band) performed a foot-tapping rendition of Luck Be a Lady from Guys and Dolls; and

Guest artiste Josephine Ison - singer, dancer, actor and star of the Wiggles Production Company - delivered a heart-wrenching realisation of I Dreamed a Dream from Les Miserables.

Our sincere thanks to all involved in making our 2009 Concert Series the most successful yet!

Next Sunday, 21st June, Willoughby Band will treat you to a feast of 'Broadway Brass': 

"Razzamatazz and all that Jazz, it’s Broadway at its best! Featuring hits from cabaret, stage and screen.
Come and enjoy all your favourite Broadway moments with Willoughby Band."

 Click here for more details on our site and a link to ONLINE TICKETS!

Click here to see this event on our new Facebook Page.  

Willoughby opened their performance with a stirring rendition of ‘Where Eagles Sing’ by Paul Lovatt-Cooper which immediately demanded the attention of the audience and the adjudicator. This piece showcased the cornet section with a fanfare type beginning which opens into an energetic and exciting piece. Willoughby used the full sound of the whole band to fill Llewellyn Hall and rock its foundations.

Willoughby's major work was 'Royal Parks' by George Lloyd, a piece commissioned in memory of British Bandsmen killed by terrorists in 1982. 

Particular congratulations go to Gemma Hogg (22), who made her debut performance on Principal Cornet at the competition.

WIlloughby Band wishes to thank Hall Village band for continued competition in the section, and in particular Greg Stenning, Director of Music at St Edmund's College who once again generously provided a rehearsal venue close to the event.