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 provides students with an avenue to perform after leaving school.
“I think community music-making is a really important part of music and music education,” Danny said.
“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 well being 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.”
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,” Danny said.
“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.
If you’ve never heard a live symphony, why not attend their next concert?
“The band is always looking for opportunities to perform and share our love of music with the community.”
For further information visit knoxwindsymphony.com
