Gunnedah Eisteddfod got off to a good start on Friday with the instrumental section taking place over three days at the Band Hall.
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The section was adjudicated by Ben Crocker who has an extensive experience in conducting within the brass band medium and is the head of bands at The King’s School.
Mr Crocker has adjudicated competitions, solo events and band competitions but it was his first time adjudicating at an eisteddfod and his first visit to Gunnedah.
“I’m a Queenslander and have managed to see quite a bit of New South Wales, but this was my first visit to Gunnedah, and I loved it,” Mr Crocker said.
He said the violinists were “very impressive” and complimented the technique of all the junior players.
“You all had such beautiful sounds,” he told them.
Mr Crocker enjoyed performances by St Mary’s concert and stage bands, and members of the Plains, Pipes and Drums.
“The bagpipes – what a treat. That was fantastic,” he said.
“You could really sense the music driving them along.”
Following the weekend competition, Mr Crocker said the performances were of high quality.
“The overall quality of entrants was very high, but the most striking feature was the capacity and depth in the youth of the town. To have children getting up and playing virtuosic solo music at such a young age was so impressive to me. That they do it in a no fuss way, with flair and style is doubly impressive,” he said.
Mr Crocker said the highlight of the weekend was watching the Gunnedah Shire Band perform on Sunday and conducting them for two hours in a combined workshop with players from Tamworth and surrounding areas.
“I’ve been an admirer of the Gunnedah band for well over a decade – since I was 14 years old, and to stand in front of them, to see Laurie and Anthony Rowe’s great work in action was just the biggest privilege,” he said.
“I grew up on a farm in a tiny community in North Queensland – we had maybe 30 odd people, a pub and a phone booth, and I remember well driving long distances to get to band rehearsal, and what a treasured time it was for me as a child.
“Spending time with the band really brought back great memories for me, and I’ll be raving about the band’s playing all week to my colleagues in the city.”