NABfest — the 7th National Australia Brass Festival, directed by Professor David King takes place this week in Melbourne, Australia.

Innovative

The innovative event which culminates with a Gala Concert on Saturday 5th July, is centered on the impressive ABC Southbank Centre in the city, and includes a comprehensive programme of workshops, rehearsals and masterclasses, as well as the premiere of new music written especially for National Australia Brass.

National Australia Brass (NAB) was established in 2008 with the artistic objective of establishing high profile educational initiatives in the field of band musicianship within Australia’s brass band community, and has quickly gained a highly respected international profile.

Leading players

The band itself is made up of leading players drawn from the Federation of Australasian Brass Bands registry and some of Australia’s finest brass and percussion performers, and is led this year by principal cornet Paula Russell from Queensland.

Centrepiece

The 2014 compositional centerpiece will be the premiere of ‘Vita Destructa’ from the pen of 18 year old New Zealander Todd Smith, which was commissioned by National Australia Brass and is dedicated to its patron Adrienne, Lady Stewart, a key philanthropic figure in the world of music and the arts.

Todd is a past recipient of the Adrienne, Lady Stewart Performance bursary and ‘Vita Destructa’ represents his first major international commission

A member of the National Australia Brass ‘ABC forum’ (Australasian Band Composers Forum), Todd will receive compositional direction from Professor Peter Graham as part of the National Australia Brass Academy Mentor Project (AMP).

Worldwide profile

The worldwide profile of the festival has also enabled organisers to attract leading international brass musicians to Melbourne, with Sheona White, Philippe Schwartz and Stale Sleire Johansen featuring as tutors and performers during the festival, which culminates with the ‘Voice of Metal’ concert at the Iwaki Auditorium, ABC Southbank Centre, Melbourne on Saturday July 5th.

The emphasis on long term educational development will also see 11 players selected from the National Australia Brass Youth Band receive mentoring during the week from the visiting international artists who will provide personal tutorship as part of a Global Academy Project (GAP), an educational program instigated by National Australia Brass linking Australia, England and Norway.

Honour

Speaking to 4BR, Norwegian tuba virtuoso, Stale Sleire Johansen commented: "It is a great honour to be invited as guest soloists and tutors as part of the National Australia Brass Festival and the Global Academy Project.

We are all thrilled to be here and to share a week of wonderful music making."

It is a great honour to be invited as guest soloists and tutors as part of the National Australia Brass Festival and the Global Academy ProjectNorwegian tuba virtuoso, Stale Sleire Johansen

Further information:

For further information go to: http://nationalaustraliabrass.com/

Tickets:

Tickets for the NABfest Gala Concert on Saturday evening July 5th are available on line at: www.trybooking.com/EZHC