NORTH SHORE CITY, AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND

Musical Director,

Claudia Price.

 

(Click HERE  for current playout listing, and HERE for reviews.)

 

Hello Visitor!  Welcome to our Homepage!  Have you ever wanted to play with an orchestra or band? Now is your big chance, just bring along your instrument and have a go with The North Shore Concert Band!    The band also owns a trumpet, a marching horn, and a tuba - which are not being played! 

AT THE MOMENT WE ARE LOOKING FOR PERCUSSIONISTS, HORN PLAYERS AND TROMBONISTS; and most important, A LEAD TRUMPET, which is a very rewarding position due to the trumpet’s melodic importance in all of the Concert Band Repertoire.   Some skill required in the upper register, but satisfaction is definitely guaranteed. If you think you fit the bill – come along and try out!

The NSCB is a community amateur band, which was formed in 1976 by a handfu1 of players who saw the need to establish an adult symphonic band on the shore. At the time there were numerous secondary school bands and brass bands of course but no adult concert symphonic band. From these small beginnings the North Shore Concert Band has grown and now includes about 40 players - it owns a music library of more than 500 arrangements. The membership roll is permanently open to brass and woodwind instrumentalists of all ages – young, old and in between, and the Band is always interested to hear from prospective players .

A concert band, sometimes called a wind or symphonic band, differs from a brass band in that it includes not only brass and percussion, but also woodwind instruments. However a string bass or bass guitar can also be included. This combination of instruments gives it a mellower sound and a wider range of tone colour than a brass band.

Concert bands are a development of the American military band and began when the late-great Glen Millar became an army officer during WW2. His famous big-band arrangements proved to be very popular when played in lieu of marches, by the Military band during the US Army’s March Past, in spite of his superior’s wrath!  (For the full story see the famous film, ‘The Glen Millar Story’ starring James Stewart – you’ll love it!). From there it grew to the Concert Band you see now. The greatest variety of musical arrangements are still imported from America, although local and personal compositions and arrangements are accepted as well, and played to great acclaim! One of the strengths of a band of this type is its versatility. It can play indoors or out, it can play for formal functions or casual, and it can play music ranging from the classics through marches, to jazz, to pop, and even to rock.  

Past performances ot the NSCB have been at a wide variety of venues including school fairs, shopping centres and public parks, the Elleslie Races, Carlaw Park, Selwyn Village, Princes Wharf, Telethons, Firework displays, Mandalay Ballroom, the Auckland Zoo and MOTAT.

In the last few years the Band has been playing to very appreciative crowds at the Rose Centre in Belmont, our Annual Concert at the Pumphouse in Takapuna (in 2007 it included as our special guests, the North Shore Camerata – a thirty-voice choir!), the Shore Centre Shopping Mall and the Northcote Shopping Centre amongst other venues, as well as producing a top quality concert at the Centrestage Theatre in Orewa. During the Christmas Season the band regularly performs at two Christmas Parades - Takapuna and the big Farmers’ Santa Parade in Auckland City!

Our future is looking very bright!

If you want to be a part of the forward-looking North Shore
Concert Band, simply come along to our practices

on Tuesdays 7.30 ‘til 9.30 pm
(tea, coffee and biscuits provided)

at BIRKENHEAD COLLEGE AUDITORIUM,
BIRKDALE ROAD, NORTH SHORE,

or CONTACT OUR CONCERT MASTER

STEVE DALE for more info!  

 

YOU WILL BE MORE THAN WELCOME!

 

 

Up and coming playouts.

 

 

 

1. On May 18th at 2 pm, we are combining with the Waitakere City Ladies’ Choir to present a concert entitled ‘ Hooked on Classicals’ at the Playhouse Theatre, 15 Glendale Rd, Glen Eden. The programme includes a great variety of classical and popular pieces in which the WCLC will perform their own brackets as well as join with us. Ticket sales and prices are as follows :

 

2. Our Annual PUMPHOUSE Concert will take place on OCTOBER 12TH, at 2 pm.  More details closer to the concert date – watch this space!

 

 

 

 

And now an overview of recent playouts:

 

1. We were asked to repeat our provision of background music for the opening of the new Bus Centre at Esmonde Road. This took place on 2nd February, along with speeches by the Prime Minister and several dignitaries. All went well and there were a considerable number who watched and listened to our part in the proceedings. Another successful performance.

 

2. On Saturday 16th Feb at 1 pm was our annual playout at the Northcote Shopping Centre. Murphy’s Law prevailed, as we were expecting rain (it having been a rotten day up until then), so we scrunched up under one of the shop overhangs. And lo and behold, it cleared up!

Despite the tricky conditions the band was a success, and audience as well as players had a great time! 

 

Below a few pictures of

our past performances:

Performing at the Town Hall in Auckland Central in 2006,

where we won two silver medals!

     

In full swing at our annual concert at the Pumphouse, 2007…

…And together with our special guests

The North Shore Camerata as we played and sang

‘Disney at the Movies’!

 

 

At Camp Maynard in Albany, 2007, as part of the

100th Anniversary of the formation of the Scouting Movement!

 Conductor on the day: Ashley Hopkins

 

 

At the Farmers’ Christmas Parade in Auckland City, 2007.   For the first time

we were under the Downtown veranda, and our music drew a massive crowd!

Thanks to Luiz Otero for the picture, as well as several others.

 

Hey – can you play a brass or woodwind instrument??   Then Come and Join Us!  

You’ll have terrific fun!

Where Music is Made!

Latest Update: 10 February 2008

Keywords for this page:

North Shore Concert Band, Concert Band, North Shore, Music, Band, Trumpet, Trombone, French Horn, Horn, Tuba, Bass, String Bass, Flute, Clarinet, Oboe, Bassoon, Bass Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, Baritone, Saxophone, Drums, Percussion, Alto Clarinet, New Zealand, Auckland, Devonport, Takapuna, Birkinhead, Northcote.