MITCHAM CITY BRASS

Our History

The first Mitcham Band was formed in 1878 and rehearsed in the Mitcham Institute. The band functioned until the Tee Tulpa Gold Diggings were found in 1887, when it disbanded and all the members took their instruments and other property with them and disposed of them in any way they wished.

The present band was formed in 1901 by Carl Stanley, Geo Lawson and J. Tyler and has continued to function ever since.

Practice was held in the Saint Michaels Church Hall and the band was known as the Mitcham Brass Band. Later this name was to be changed to Mitcham City Brass Band, after Mitcham became a city. To get the band started it was loaned a grand sum of forty pounds which was repayed at the rate of ten pounds a year.

In 1906 the band would congregate in Mr. Godden's cow shed in Hawthorn where they practiced by candlelight and hurricane lanterns.
In 1908, at its own expense, the band enlarged the Rotunda on the Mitcham Reserve from which many open air concerts were staged by the band.

By 1909, the band possessed 23 instruments valued at 125 pounds. The band was giving fortnightly concerts throughout the summer at this time.

In 1911, the first set of rules for the band was drawn up. This was the foundation of the current  constitution of the band.

1914 saw the first set of uniforms for the band which cost the princely sum of 34 pounds. Also in this year the band moved to the Mitcham Institute for rehearsals where it remained until 1983 when it moved to its current band rooms comprised of the headmasters cottage of the old Mitcham Infant School, now renamed the Mitcham Community Centre.

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Senior Brass

Mitcham City Brass has continued providing excellence in music since those early days, performing at many events around South Australia and supporting many local community functions including:

• Adelaide Fringe Festival                                                    
• Schutzenfest Festival
• Coober Pedy Opal Festival
• Mitcham Carols by the Creek
• Credit Union Christmas Pageant
• Anzac services and marches
• Community fetes and fairs
• Mitcham Citizen Ceremonies

    

Members of the band are all volunteer musicians who enjoy sharing their passion for live music with the wider community. The band is a regular and successful competitor at the State Brass Band Championships, winning the 2003, 2005 & 2007 ‘C’ grade contests under the leadership of Musical Director Peter Smith.

Our 'C' grade / community band is seeking quailty players to further enhance our excellence in music. If you have a passion for making fine music and want to give a Brass band a go, then we want to hear from you. Our variety and styles in music go further than Marches and Hymns ... try Swing, Big-band, Stage & Screen, Popular, Modern, Classical, Renaissance and that's just for starters.

Sound interesting ... you cannot beat making live music with a group of people who share the same passion as you ... successfully bringing together people from all walks of life; including Professors, Teachers, Trades-people, Students, Policeman, Public Servants, Management, Retail, Office, Factory-workers, Retiries and others ... all enjoying making music and new friends

Vacancies

Vacancies  exist for:
                                       ~ Solo and back row Cornets
                             ~ Solo  Tenor Horn
                             ~ Bb Tuba
                             ~ Tuned Percussionist

Yearly membership fee’s are a low $40.00 and Instrument hire is available to playing members for only $80.00. Rehearsals are held Monday evenings from 7.30pm ~ 10.00pm in the Mitcham Community  Centre, corner of Belair and Grange Roads  Lower Mitcham. Interested players should  contact the Secretary Tamina Judd to discuss these opportunities further.

Volunteers

Interested in contributing to making live music in and around Mitcham but don't want to play an instrument ... not a problem ... expertise and enthusiasm behind the scenes is as important as the players ... without our dedicated team of volunteers raising funds, assisting to set up for gigs, cooking BBQ's, sorting out music, undertaking administrative tasks, transporting gear and players, and generally helping out, the band would not be able to function as efficiently as we do ... want to know more, contact the Secretary or Chairperson, they would love to welcome you to the team.

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Can you assist us to complete these lists?

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