Music in the wind

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Tuesday, 19 December 2023

There’s a place for everybody in community music-making with the Knox Wind Symphony.

The community band, with about 50 members aged 15 to over 60 years, was co-founded in 2017 by Wantirna College teachers Kim Green and Danny van Bergen. It comprises students, ex-students, teachers, retired teachers, family members and other community members who love performing music.

Danny, a professionally trained conductor who oversees weekly rehearsals at the school, says the ensemble was started to give students an avenue to perform after leaving school.

“I think community music-making is a really important part of music and music education,” he says.

“You don’t have to be engaging in music at a professional level to get benefits and enjoyment out of it. Playing in a community ensemble or being an audience member offers you just as many benefits as being a professional musician with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

“It’s the same benefits that you get from being in a sporting team — there’s wellbeing benefits, there’s health benefits, there’s social benefits — there’s all that sort of stuff. Sometimes people think music isn’t for them because they weren’t particularly good at it at school or because they struggled, and I think that’s a real fallacy. It’s absolutely for everybody. There is a spot for everybody somewhere.”

The Knox Wind Symphony has received an $11,000 Community Development Fund grant from Council for more instruments — a double bass and bass clarinet.

“The majority of band members own their own instruments, which is an expensive investment,” Dannys says. “However, to run a really high-quality ensemble, Council have helped us and funded a few of the more expensive and more exotic instruments that people just wouldn’t get for themselves.

“We also rely on the generosity of schools, and we have the support of a few local schools. We do a lot of concerts in the local area, often combined with other groups. We also do a lot of work with schools; we might do workshops that culminate with concerts.

“The band is always looking for opportunities to perform and share our love of music with the community.”

If you’ve never heard a live symphony, why not attend their next concert?

For further information visit knoxwindsymphony.com.

How can a community grant support your group? Visit knox.vic.gov.au/grants.

Music in the wind

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