Quack, Quack, Quack
There is a meme going around lately which states:
“My ducks are absolutely not in a row. I don’t even know where some of them are … and I’m pretty sure one of them is a pigeon.”
This statement has been true for me over the past year as I have gone about planning and organising the Band’s first tour to Australia. Yet here today we meet in Auckland at the start another significant chapter of the Band’s esteemed history but also a banding highlight for myself.
Plans began in earnest for this tour over 12 months ago and in the proceeding months I have been chipping away to put everything in place to try make this tour a success. There have been numerous challenges and sometimes sleepless nights resulting in my role as manager to the point of becoming almost a full-time job, albeit an unpaid job.
Some have questioned why I’ve been prepared to commit to such a task. Well, it stems from listening to the 1995 Band play in a concert in Auckland. I was relatively new to community bands, having all my previous brass banding experience through the Salvation Army. I went to the 95 concert because I had two flatmates in the band, one of whom Mason Elliot, is still in the band today. I was blown away by the performance, not just by the playing standard – the likes I had never heard before, but also by the number in the band party which totalled 53. Footnote, I see the band had not only a manager but also two assistant managers – luxury!!
When the position of manager was advertised a couple of years ago I decided to apply to ensure audiences all over experienced the joy as I did all those years ago. I count myself very privileged to be able to hear this band play every day we are together and strive to put everything in place for them to perform to their fullest potential. It is an honour to serve them in this way and see them succeed, as a group and individually. It more than makes up for the hours of planning.
It hasn’t been all me though and I want to acknowledge the many various people both in New Zealand and Australia who have helped form the tour. They each know who they are.
On the financial side of things, the band as a whole are very grateful to the individuals and businesses who have helped sponsor our tour, especially in these recent tough financial times. The tour wouldn’t have got this far without them.
To my marketing team who have been in place for about the last 8 weeks, thank you for taking a lot of the load and for bringing fresh ideas.
Of course, I have to also thank my friend David Bremner, for his vision, his knowledge, and his artistic and creative ideas in putting together a world class concert experience. We’ve had some interesting discussion with most of his ideas being put into place, some I have adjusted and the odd one I’ve quashed. Whilst I may do most of the donkey work, his drive and passion about the National Band is the driving force that will make this a tour of musical excellence.
I am very excited, and nervous in equal measure, to see all the year’s planning come to fruition. I know with the incredibly high standard of players across all seats in the band, with the world class soloists who will be featured in our concerts, and under the masterful musical direction of David, this band is going to excel in Australia. For those who manage to secure a seat to our concerts I know they will not be disappointed. Each and every concert will be a quacker.
