The Robinvale Community Brass Band performs to a live audience
The Robinvale Community Brass Band recently performed at “The Beat”, an annual State Schools showcase featuring the best musical, dance, and drama talent in the Sunraysia district.
What is the Robinvale Community Brass Band?
The band has been operating since 2002 and comprises students of all ages from Robinvale College and local community members. The band led Mr. Siosiua Taumoefolau practices each Wednesday after school and plays at community events such as Anzac Day and Carols by Candlelight.
In the early days, the band and other Robinvale College members travelled around Victoria, promoting positive aspects of diversity and inclusivity. This was called a Multicultural Roadshow and included music from the Brass Band, singing, and Koori, Tongan and modern dancing. During the roadshow, the Robinvale students performed a concert and then ran workshops to teach audience members traditional dances. After learning the traditional dances, audience members then performed a concert back to the students to demonstrate what they had learnt.
The band relies on fundraising to attend performances and maintain and purchase equipment. When the band performed at the Australian International Music Festival at the Sydney Opera House in 2006, where they received a Silver Award, this was only possible due to a large amount of community fundraising. Instruments for a brass band are very costly, and purchasing or replacing them requires an enormous amount of fundraising. Understanding the important role the band plays in the community, not only educationally but socially, Our Place Robinvale set out to assist with purchasing some new instruments. After discussions with the band about their needs, Our Place utilised engagement and enrichment funding provided by IOOF to purchase two new brass band instruments (a tuba and a Euphonium).
The latest performance
After lots of band practice and with their newly purchased instruments in tow, the Brass Band headed to The Beat at the Mildura Arts Centre on August 24 to perform in front of a live audience. This year’s theme for The Beat was ‘A Sky Full of Stars’ and aimed to engage the positive involvement of young people in the Arts through a variety show format highlighting the areas of Dance, Drama and Music.
The band performed two items: Swing Low & YMCA, which had the crowd dancing along. This performance was also broadcasted to a live audience via the Robinvale College Facebook Page, so those who could not attend the event in person could participate. Over 780 people (double the population of Robinvale College) viewed this live performance, and many community members have expressed their enjoyment and have passed on positive messages to the band members.
Aligning with the Our Place Approach
This is one example of how Our Place’s role of ‘The Glue’ can support the sustainability of community initiatives. This is also an example of the Our Place evidence based element of Enrichment and Engagement Activities for Children, which focuses on ensuring that affordable, on-site opportunities are available to enable children to develop an interest in sports, arts and hobbies with others.
To learn more about our other evidence based elements Click Here
