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    MIXING IT UP: Elsa Matthias, on saxophone, and Karl Carman, tuba, practise at Horsham Rural City Band Hall in Horsham. The band is going through a revival and opening the door for more instruments and players. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
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    Karl Carman, tuba, and Elsa Matthias, sax, practice at Horsham Rural City Band Hall in Horsham. The band is going through a revival.
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    MIXING IT UP: Elsa Matthias, on saxophone, and Karl Carman, tuba, practise at Horsham Rural City Band Hall in Horsham. The band is going through a revival and opening the door for more instruments and players. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
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    Front row, Sandra Pope, Gabi Schultz, Paul Beltz; secondrow, Kirilly Mathersin (obscured), Jordan Tsaousoglou, Elsa Mathias, Liz Hood; back row, Jo Ellis, Catherine Beltz, Mark Radford, Mark Ngoi. Horsham Rural City Band at Horsham Anzac Day Dawn Service.
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    Horsham Rural City Band at Horsham Anzac Day Dawn Service. Chris Sutton Angela Matheson, Leanne Jenkin, Karl Carman and Steve Ellis.
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    Sandra Pope, Gabi Schultz and Paul Beltz. Horsham Rural City Band at Horsham Anzac Day Dawn Service.
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    Horsham Rural City Band conductor Wally Pope at Horsham Anzac Day Dawn Service.

Open door for Horsham Rural City Band musicians

A change in direction for Horsham Rural City Band is continuing as the performing ensemble evolves from a brass to concert band.

The band started the transition in February last year, opening the door for woodwind and other instruments and musicians to be involved.

Band leaders are keen to build on musician numbers and are also appealing for the community to provide or loan woodwind instruments to encourage more people to take up band music.

President Prue Beltz said the band had about 30 members and was keen to open the door for as many people to be involved in music as possible.



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“We’re basically putting a call out for people who might want to join and play. And we’re also asking others who might have an old instrument such as a saxophone, clarinet or flute tucked away in a cupboard or sitting under a bed that they’ve never played or no longer play, to consider helping us out,” she said.

“There are plenty of people who might have thought about having a go at playing these types of instruments but been turned away by the potential cost. 

“We want to be able to encourage more participation by being able to loan out more instruments.

 

Sandra Pope, Gabi Schultz and Paul Beltz. Horsham Rural City Band at Horsham Anzac Day Dawn Service.

“We believe you shouldn’t be prevented from playing music because you can’t afford to.

“We’re already involved in projects encouraging people to learn an instrument. 

“One involves a lending program with Horsham Primary School, where many of the brass instruments the children are using belong to the band.”

Mrs Beltz, a self-confessed ‘roadie’ but with a family full of musicians, said the band’s transition started with the appointment of a new band master last year and a desire to regenerate the organisation.

“The band is quite young, with the eldest in their 50s and many others in their late teens to 30s,” she said.

“We’ve been doing a lot of open rehearsals in different halls across the district where people can come in and watch.

“People can expect our new-sounding Horsham Rural City Band to present a considerably expanded repertoire as part of the shift in direction.”

People keen to help in providing instruments to the band or keen to join the band can call Mrs Beltz on 0439 826 187.

“The more the merrier,” she said.

The entire May 5, 2021 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!