Report & Results: 2023 NSW State Championships

Sydney City Brass reinforces its leading elite level credentials as they lead the prize winners at the New South Wales State Championships.

Sydney City Brass reinforced its position as Australia's leading elite level band as they successfully defended their New South Wales State Championship title with a comprehensive victory in Penrith.

It followed their recent National Championship success under MD, Jason Katsikaris as they produced a trio of discipline topping performances described by adjudicator Mark Ford as "outstanding"to claim the impressive Championship A Grade Shield.

Having made a startling contesting debut at the 2019 National Championships, the group of like-minded Australian and New Zealand based musicians, who come together for each event (this year including players from Brisbane Excelsior, Wellington and North Shore Brass) has remained unbeaten since — adding that second National title as well as this second State victory to their CV this year.

World class

In what Mark Ford said was an "immense standard" A Grade contest, "some of it world class", their renditions of the hymn tune 'I Know Thou Art Mine' (Leonard Ballantyne), 'Paganini Variations' and Peter Graham's 'Dynasty' stood out.

It was aided by players such as Harmen Vanhoorne (cornet), Jamie Rolfe (soprano) and Nicky Abkiewicz (who also won the 'Champion of Champions' solo title) who added a level of artistic assuredness to an ensemble of solid top-flight virtues.

Philip Wilby's 'Paganini Variations' provided a stern set test — one which Mark Ford felt was met with some "sublime playing" from the four contenders, whilst the own-choice selections of 'On the Shoulders of Giants' (Willoughby), 'Harmony Music' (Waratah) and 'The 39th Parallel' (Warringah) had, he said, been performed "magically well".

Outstanding band

However, in his opinion "there was one outstanding band", with "another brilliant" and "two really close" as his results revealed the clear victory for Sydney followed by Willoughby led by the emerging conducting talent of Dominic Longhurst, Waratah and Warringah.

On accepting the Championship Shield, the Sydney City Brass representative thanked not only their inspirational MD Jason Katsikaris for "his amazing job and musicality", and the "amazing players", but also to the event sponsor Besson.

They came to the band's aid when one of their tuba players found that her instrument had been damaged and loaned a brand new Sovereign tuba to play on.

B Grade:

Mark Ford also revealed that he was impressed by the three bands in the B Grade — the standard he said "having improved so much" since last year.

The contest was slightly different to the A Grade as the competitors could choose their two major works.

Clean sweep

In the end it was Gunnedah Shire Band led by Anthony Rowe who also made it a clean sweep of all three disciplines to retain the title (their third in the last four State contests) with confident renditions of the hymn 'Nicaea', 'Lions of Legends' by Thierry Deleruyelle and Philip Sparke's 'Between the Moon and Mexico'.

MD, Anthony Rowe thanked his players "for putting in the effort" for the event.

Paramatta City was second performing 'Brass Metamorphosis' and 'El Camino Real' as their main works, with Canberra Brass in third ('The Plantagenets' and 'Purcell Variations').

Grade champions

Sunday's competition for brass (the event hosted 56 concert and brass bands) saw a C Grade victory for Willoughby Band No 2 led by Dominic Longhurst.

Their performances of 'The Day Thou Gavest', 'An American in Paris' and especially 'Rococo Variations' by Allan Street (they "played the pants off it" according to Mark Ford) also claiming a clean sweep as they retained their title ahead of City of Wollongong Brass and Newcastle PCYC Brass Band.

Terrific

"A terrific and interesting"D Grade event was won by "the outstanding performer out of the four", as City of Orange Brass produced a series of 'jaffas' to sweep the board ahead Waratah Brass Academy Band, St. George Brass Band and Nowra Town Band who made a welcome return to the contest for the first time in over a decade.

There were also encouraging performances to enjoy in the Junior B and C Grade events as City of Wollongong Brass (Kevin Skues) and Waringah Community Brass (John Saunders) performed with energy and enthusiasm.

"I really enjoyed hearing these musicians play," Mark Ford added. "The music was really suitable and some of the playing was excellent (making special mention of percussion)."

The well run event over the two days at the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre was live-stream broadcast by Brassbanned.com

in his opinion "there was one outstanding band", with "another brilliant" and "two really close" as his results revealed the clear victory for Sydney4BR