Women In Brass (Australia)

The founder and facilitator behind Women in Brass, Marissa Clarke, once again brought together 43 experienced mentors and talented newcomers from across Australia to share in a celebration of women and non-binary brass musicians in the Australian banding community. The third annual Women In Brass (Australia) concert delighted at Sydney Congress Hall recently with a program packed full of entertaining standards and thrilling talent.

Jen Hinton (ACT) charmed with an extended drum intro on Sweet Georgia Brown, before tenor horn soloist Nicky Abkiewicz (NSW) backed up her Australian National title as a featured soloist in a superb performance of Piper O'Dundee, combining flawless technique with rich musicality. Flugel horn Maya Heath was a suave lead on Under the Boardwalk, having recently returned from the Swedish National Band Championships where she played with Eowyn Brass Band, an all-female brass band.

Yamaha Music Australia is very proud to support the work of Yamaha artist Louisa Trewartha, who not only conducted her own A Grade composition: Flight in the concert, but also filled in on Soprano Cornet at short notice, making time in her busy freelancing schedule to contribute generously to this valued project. Yamaha Corporation actively endorses the vision of the UN Women's thinktank - the Unstereotype Alliance. Trewartha was named in Yamaha's 2024 International Women's Day selection of “Women Who Make Waves”, where the theme was “Invest in women: Accelerate progress." Trewartha's lively, fast-paced work Flight highlighted the entire band, where fittingly, every part worked together (like a plane engine) to land the piece successfully.

The hugely entertaining, yet challenging program was conceived by Musical Director Maureen Cameron, whose vitality and vision was clearly appreciated by those onstage and the audience alike. The concert reached its finale with Gaelforce, a choreographed delight highlighting everyone from the cornet-line to the six percussionists. The final bars saw the entire band on their feet to accept prolonged applause from an appreciative audience.

Yamaha Music Australia thanks the organisers and participants for their dedication, knowing the inspiration will be long-felt.