Ensembles
The Australian Army Band Melbourne consists of 35 full time professional musicians who primarily operate as a concert band. The band is also capable of breaking down into smaller groups such as:
- The Big Band
- The Jazz Ensemble
- The Woodwind Quintet
- The Rock Band
- The Brass Quintet
- The Fanfare Team
The Big Band
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| The Big Band |
The Big Band of the Australian Army Band Melbourne, currently under the direction of Corporal Cam Earl, is a eighteen piece ensemble. The traditional swing band line-up of five saxophones, four trumpets, four trombones, piano, bass and drums, also includes a vocalist to produce a vibrant and exciting sound. The Big Band performs a wide variety of music, ranging from the classic dance band music of the 1930s and 1940s such as Glenn Miller, Count Basie and Tommy Dorsey, through to modern jazz repertoire arranged by Bob Minzter, Mark Taylor, Tim Davies, David Wolpe, Gordon Goodwin and Tim Oram.
The group is ideal for formal balls and dinners, jazz festivals, large concerts and school performances. The Big Band is a talented and versatile ensemble that will keep people on the dance floor all night or captivate an audience of jazz listeners.
The Jazz Ensemble
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| The Jazz Group |
The Australian Army Band Melbourne's Jazz Ensemble is a fine exponent of the lighter, more romantic jazz style performing an extensive repertoire of instrumental jazz and brazilian standards. They perform timeless Miles Davis and Antonio Carlos Jobim classics to the more contemporary jazz tunes. The group, led by Sergeant Hemi Anning, is made up of vocals, trombone, saxophone, trumpet, double bass, guitar, piano and drums. The extremely talented and versatile vocalist of Musician Deb Cotton certainly adds to the ambience of the occasion, including a number of compositions by her favourite singers such as Diane Reeves, Diane Schur and Diana Krall. This stylish outfit is often seen providing mood music for outdoor events, formal dinners and balls. The cool, soothing sounds of the Jazz Ensemble are ideal for military social functions, receptions and community events.
The Wind Quintet
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| The Wind Quintet |
One of the Australian Army Band Melbourne's chamber ensembles is the Wind Quintet. The traditional instrumentation of flute, oboe, clarinet, french horn and bassoon combine to lend a touch of class to any formal occasion. Their extensive repertoire encompasses works from the classical masters, such as Bach and Mozart, to 20th Century composers, Claude-Paul Taffanel and Jacques Ibert. The Wind Quintet's busy schedule has seen them performing at the Prime Minister's Olympic Dinner, the opening of The Van Gogh Exhibition at the Art Gallery of Victoria and the 150th Anniversary Dinner for the Royal Melbourne Botanical Gardens.
The beautiful sounds of the Wind Quintet reveal the quality of the performers, yet remain accessible to audiences of all musical backgrounds.
The Rock Band
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| The Rock Band |
The Rock Band is such an exciting and energetic group that it was also invited to entertain Australian troops serving in post-independence East Timor and Bougainville. The tours provided a huge morale boost for Australian Defence Force personnel, which is testament to the skill of the performers.
The Brass Quintet
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| The Brass Quintet |
The Brass Quintet of the Australian Army Band Melbourne is a talented five piece ensemble. The line-up of two trumpets, french horn, trombone and tuba displays the versatility of brass instruments which have been prominent since the establishment of military bands. The vast repertoire of the Brass Quintet includes arrangements of early Renaissance, Classical and operatic music along with 20th Century compositions by Malcolm Arnold and Andre Previn. The instrumentation also allows the ensemble to perform other styles of music, such as show tunes by George and Ira Gershwin and even pop music.
The flexibility and acoustic nature of the Brass Quintet will continue to see them utilised for both informal gatherings and formal dinners, ceremonies or recitals.
The Fanfare Team
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| The Fanfare Team |