St Kilda Brass will celebrate 125 years of music-making with a gala concert this weekend.

The showcase, titled “And the Saints Go Marching On”, will be held this Sunday, August 9, from 2pm at the King’s & Queen’s Performing Arts Centre, Bay View Rd. 

Celebrating a musical journey that began in 1901, the concert will feature conductors Ian Porthouse and Peter Adams, guest soloist Harry Porthouse, and a specially commissioned Celebration Suite by Dunedin-based composer Kenneth Young. 

Emeritus Prof Peter Adams was thrilled that Young accepted the commission to write a new composition for the gala concert.

“Ken is one of New Zealand’s most respected composers with operas, symphonies and many works for brass to his name — as befits a former NZSO tuba player for 25 years, Adams said.

“This work is in three movements and celebrates the 125-year history by using and adapting two Scottish folksongs that would have been heard in Dunedin at the turn of the century, along with dance music of the type heard in Dunedin’s many dance halls of that time.”

As one of New Zealand’s foremost composers, Kenneth Young’s works are performed regularly throughout Australasia, Europe and America.

Having grown up and developed musically in a brass band environment in Christchurch, he has also written numerous works for band and solo brass performers.

With Ian Porthouse and son Harry coming from Wales, and Young’s new work referencing Scottish and Irish folk songs, the programme has several works with a Celtic theme.

brenda.harwood@thestar.co.nz