Inside the vibrant world of brass and concert bands in Australia
Wind and brass bands, like Bayside Brass in Brisbane, are important to communities across Australia. (Supplied: Bayside Brass/Lucas Burns)
Whether you live in a regional town or the inner suburbs of a capital city, there's bound to be a brass or concert band in your neighbourhood.
Being in a band is a staple of many people's musical experience at school or as part of their local community.
"I grew up in country Victoria and the only music in town was the town band and the pipe band," says Lucas Burns, who presents Bandstand on ABC Classic.
Delving deeper into the world of brass and wind bands reveal a wealth of repertoire as well as fiercely competitive musicians.
From the gold rush to Mardi Gras
Brass bands have a centuries-long tradition in Australia, with the Tanunda Town Band in South Australia's Barossa Valley being the oldest continual brass band in the southern hemisphere.
It was founded in 1857.
The tradition was brought over from Europe, comprising miners, industry workers and members of the army.
"A lot of these bands started during the gold rush era," Burns says. "There are a lot of Victorian bands turning 150 years old."
"Back then, the social thing was, you go and join the town band and go and play in the park," Burns says.
That's how Burns joined the band.
"The local butcher was friends with my dad, and [my dad] asked him to give me some lessons because he was in the band," he shares.
But if you think bands are just a regional town thing, think again.
In Sydney's Inner West, tuba-player Cathy Chan has been playing and teaching low brass instruments for decades.
The Sydney Homotones, led by brass teacher Cathy Chan, made regular appearances at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. (ABC: Cassandra Bedwell)
For years, she led her band, the Sydney Homotones, down Oxford Street during the annual Mardi Gras parade until the band went on hiatus in 2018.
It all started when Chan, formerly a flute-player, realised she could improve her chances of joining her high school band if she learnt to play a brass instrument.
"I started playing the baritone which is a small tuba, then made my way down to euphonium and trombone," Chan says.
When Chan's conductor told her that girls don't play the tuba, the biggest instrument in the brass family, which can play the lowest notes, "that galvanised me to say: 'Right, that's the only instrument I want to play'."
"It's such a wonderful instrument because in a band, the tuba is the basis of everybody's sound," Chan says.
Bands, grades and fierce competitions
If you're confused by the difference between brass bands, wind bands, concert bands and wind ensembles, you're not alone.
Chan explains these are variations on a theme.
"The band that you most commonly hear in any of your school programs and community groups is a concert band, [comprising] woodwind instruments, brass and percussion," Chan explains.
They're also called a wind band or wind ensemble.
It grew out of the military band tradition at a time when "armies and navies wanted a PR arm," Chan says.
You'll often see wind and brass bands marching on special occasions such as Anzac Day, Burns explains.
Brass bands don't include woodwind instruments like flutes and clarinets. And instead of trumpets, a brass band has cornets.
Cathy Chan and her daughter Kylie have performed at dawn Anzac Day services and marches. (Supplied: Cathy Chan)
Other instruments in brass bands include the flugelhorn, tenor horn, baritone, euphonium and tuba.
Burns says in a brass band, players can "chop and change" between instruments.
Bands can be fiercely competitive, according to Burns.
The Australian National Band Championship is the biggest band competition in Australia, where the best band will win the premiership title.
In 2026, the competition will be held in Brisbane from April 2-5.
"Across two days, each band has to play four items: a test piece, a stage march, a hymn, and a piece of their own choosing," Burns describes the competition.
"You get graded from A grade right down to D grade, and you compete against similar standard bands for your title," Burns says.
There's an additional top "Premier" grade for the elite groups.
Burns plays in a C-grade band in Brisbane, while Chan is part of a B-grade band in Sydney.
Burns says he prefers to play in a C-grade band with a mixed range of abilities.
"It's so much more enjoyable to play in a band where everyone's enjoying the music and the rehearsal experience."
"It gives less experienced players room to grow and lets more experienced players take the role of mentor," he says.
Building community with centuries-old tunes and the latest hits
When we asked ABC Classic audiences for their favourite music for brass and wind band, we were blown away by the number and diversity of responses.
Choices include music by Gustav Holst, Percy Grainger, Phillip Spark, Johan de Meij and Eric ball, among others.
These composers are the giants of the brass and concert band worlds, according to Chan.
Audience suggestions also include a number of traditional hymn tunes such as Abide With Me, as well as more recent compositions including Eric Whitacre's Godzilla Eats Las Vegas.
Burns and Chan say these selections reflect the variety of music across the band worlds.
Loading..."The repertoire for school bands ranges from Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven's greatest hits to How to Train Your Dragon, Star Wars and a lot of pop arrangements," Chan says.
There are also many Australian composers whose music continues to thrive in the band world.
"In the Australian band scene, we do try very hard to support local composers and Australian born composers," Chan says.
Chan's favourites include Brendan Collins's Kosciuszko, Jodie Blackshaw's Twist and Daniel Dinh's Under Loch and Quay.
She also has a special place for Eric Coates's Dam Busters March, being part of the 70-strong group of musicians who played for renowned music educator Richard Gill before his death in 2018.
Audience member Joanna also lists music written by other Australian women: "Holly Harrison, Cathy Likhuta and Maria Grenfell to name a few."
Burns says that being in a community band "is a great way of keeping up your musical skills."
Bands also offer performance opportunities outside formal venues such as concert halls.
"You get to go out there to play in parks, or at festivals or marching on Anzac Day," Burns says.
You can regularly find band performances in Brisbane parks as part of a city-wide initiative. (Supplied: Bayside Brass/Lucas Burns)
If you're in Brisbane, you have a good chance of stumbling on at least one or two bands performing in the city's parks most weekends.
"The band I play in goes out to the parks a few times a year as part of the Bands in Parks initiative," Burns says.
And if you're a Sydney commuter, you might hear the Railway Band performing as you walk through major train stations, especially during the lead up to Christmas.
"They are a community band of amateurs who all play because they love it," Chan says.