MOUNT Gambier City Band has sung the praises of a six-month education program which has primed new musical director Dan Caton for the future.
Six emerging band leaders and conductors received tutelage through the Learners to Leaders workshops, held in Mount Gambier under the guidance of experienced, award-winning conductor Wally Pope.
Culminating with the appointment of Mr Caton, the workshops exposed the potential leaders to the finer points of conduction and musical leadership, while the senior and learner bands undertook general ensemble tuition from Mr Pope.
Fresh from leading the Ararat City Band to a Victorian State Championship on August 19, Mr Pope endorsed the appointment of Mr Caton, stating he had a bright future ahead.
“Mr Caton is a young, keen and enthusiastic conductor with a wide range of experience and musical knowledge,” Mr Pope said.
“He should bring vibrant enthusiasm and positivity to the band.
“I really enjoyed my time with the band and conductors – they are friendly and welcoming – and the kids in the band are talented.”
Mount Gambier City Band president Craig Wood said the ensemble had excelled in all goals it set for itself through the Learners to Leaders program.
He said while appointing a single musical director was the end goal, the band now had many people within its ranks who could capably lead a performance.
“At the end of last year we were faced with the prospect of having no musical director,” Mr Wood said.
“We are grateful to Country Arts SA and Regional Arts Australia for the support which has enabled us to grow musically as a group,” he said.
“The conductors and players will also be able to take their skills into other areas of the music community, because we know country people wear many different hats in music networks and the learning will go a lot further.”
Mr Wood said country bands often had to find more ways to develop the capacities of local members rather than wait for ready-trained, experienced leaders to move into the region.
“We feel the grant funding really achieved the goal of supporting us to work from within and to grow in terms of musical learning, but also in being able to build on existing strengths and capacities to cover areas of need,” he said.
“While we need to keep working hard, learning and growing together, the workshops have paid off enormously because they have really helped tap into our own resourcefulness and provided sustainability.”
The band held a concert at Mount Gambier’s Anglican Church last month, which featured original music composed by workshop participant Sarah Mossford-MacGregor.
