There seems to be a surprising amount of brass coming out of the woodwork in Otago and Southland at the moment.
Fourteen young brass musicians and percussionists from across the southern region have been selected for the New Zealand Secondary Schools Brass Band, but few of them knew the others existed, until now.
They are Bayfield High School pupils Mei Admiraal, Bella O’Connor, Benjamin Pickering; Kavanagh College pupil Serenity Hook; home-educated Lilly Eyles (Dunedin); James Hargest College pupils Florence McKenzie, Brianna Loan, Rachel Checketts, Darcy Herrick, Lilly Stotzer; Southland Girls’ High School pupils Meadow Bodkin-
Allen, Stacey Adams; Southland Boys’ High School pupil Jack O’Connell; and Verdon College pupil Te Amorangi Day.
‘‘We’ve been to Otago music festivals but we’ve never met these people before,’’ Bella O’Connor said.
‘‘It shows how strong brass banding is getting here.
‘‘It’s really awesome.’’
Brass Band Association of New Zealand executive officer Helen Lee said the national secondary schools band previously contained up to 40 pupils from across the country.
A growing number of pupils had been applying to join the band, but missed out because of limited space.
So this year, for the first time, all 84 applicants were accepted and two bands (one in the North and one in the South) were assembled, she said.
It was an initiative the national association wanted to run every second year.
The South Island band will rehearse in Christchurch from September 30 to October 4, before performing in a public concert.
The North Island band will rehearse in Turangi from October 7 to 10, and give a public concert in Taupo.
Both bands will be conducted by prominent bass trombonist Andrew Snell.
