Recital to fund Aussie band tour

Sarah Wright is taking her cornet to tour with the National Youth Brass Band of NZ.
PHOTO / Paul Brooks

Three young members of Brass Whanganui have been selected for the National Youth Brass Band of NZ and will be touring in Australia.

To raise funds for the trip the band is performing a Gala Recital next Saturday, August 25.

Among the three is cornet player Sarah Wright, a Year 13 student at Whanganui High School.

She has been playing cornet since she was 6.

"My mum plays the flugelhorn, so she got me started, and I joined my first band when I was 9," says Sarah.

Her younger sister plays the tenor horn.

"I love the brass band where you get to meet lots of people and play in a band, which is really fun and very motivating."

She has only joined Brass Whanganui this year.

"I'm from Alexandra so I was playing for Roxburgh Brass and Invercargill Brass and moved up here at the start of this year. My boyfriend, Ethan, lives here and he plays for Brass Whanganui."

Sarah left her family in the deep south to come to Whanganui on her own. Fortunately she loves Whanganui. "There are more musical opportunities, more tutoring and a higher grade band."

Sarah came up to Whanganui for a visit to see Ethan last year and got to play with Brass Whanganui. Ethan Mancer plays euphonium.

"The National Youth Brass Band of NZ auditions every year and picks 36 members of all different brass instruments. This is my third year of being selected on cornet. There is also the National Secondary Schools Brass Band and this is my fifth year of being selected for that."

Being Year 13, it's also her last year being able to play with the Secondary Schools Band.

"The National Youth Brass Band is going to Australia in January next year. We meet in Hamilton first, for a couple of days, then we fly to Brisbane for a tour of the Gold Coast before flying back. We have a concert with the champion brass band of Australia."

Next year Sarah and Ethan are moving to Wellington where Sarah hopes to find a position with Wellington Brass, currently the best brass band in New Zealand.

"I'm hoping to join the Air Force Band as well."

She aims to study for a Bachelor of Science, majoring in geology, at Victoria University in Wellington.

For the Australia trip each band member has to raise more than $2000.

"The Gala Recital is at Sarjeant on the Quay and tickets are available there too. Tickets are $50 but we provide drinks and food. It starts at 5.30 for a meet and greet and we start playing at 6 for about an hour. Ethan, his brother Jacob and I will perform solos, duets and trios with the band and with piano accompaniment."

All three have been chosen for the Youth Band. Joanna Love will play piano for the solos.

"The full Brass Whanganui won't fit into the Sarjeant Gallery so we'll probably have a 12-piece band, more of an ensemble group."

The venue can seat 120 in the audience.

"After this concert we have our Central District competitions, so that's the next focus."

Sarah practises every day, but by taking Performing Arts at school she can use that hour on her cornet.

Brass Whanganui Gala Recital, Sarjeant on the Quay, Saturday, August 25, 5.30pm. Tickets Sarjeant on the Quay.

Wanganui Midweek 15/8/18