85-year-old John Quinn and 11-year-old Oliver Buckland are injecting new vitality into the City of West Tamar Band. Through practicing notes and scales, they are dedicated to increasing the membership of this northern Tasmanian brass band.
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04-01, 2025Mr. Quinn, who has been playing this compact brass instrument since 1955, hopes that Oliver can develop the skills to join the senior band. "He listens carefully and practices diligently, he's a good kid," Mr. Quinn stated, emphasizing Oliver's dedication.
With the average age of band members being over 70, Oliver, a sixth-grade student from Exeter Primary School, along with a group of students who have also signed up to be tutored by existing band members, hopes to revitalize the band. Over the past year, Oliver has been deeply attracted to classic tunes such as "When the Saints Go Marching In" and "Ode to Joy." He hopes that "more and more people will join, so the sound will get better and better, and we will have more people playing together."
This year, the brass band will celebrate its 146th anniversary. Band president Mary Parsell hopes to continue this tradition. "The average age of our band is rising, and we hope some young people will join us," she said, highlighting the need for younger members to sustain the band's legacy. The band also has a stockpile of old instruments that are not currently in use.
The band recruited 14 students who come every Tuesday afternoon to learn their chosen brass instruments under the guidance of mentors. Ms. Parsell said, "We don't charge any fees, and we provide instruments for free, but students must guarantee that the instruments are returned in good condition. We also provide sheet music and lessons for free, and of course, we also provide cookies and drinks." After more than a year, two students are now playing in the senior band alongside experienced members.
Ms. Parsell stated, "I hope this situation can continue for many years, but it depends on the goodwill of other band members, who come every Tuesday afternoon to play for an hour and then stay to play with the children. As long as they are enthusiastic about teaching, I believe the band will become stronger and stronger."
12-year-old Zoe Williams was one of the first students to join the band and is now playing the euphonium in the senior band. This year, she is partnered with 73-year-old Exeter resident Richard Tate to continue mastering this instrument, which he describes as a "harmonious instrument" that produces a "beautiful, mellow sound." For Zoe, her mentor's enthusiasm for this lesser-known instrument is infectious. She said, "I really like him. He's also a very individual person, very funny... I think he's had some influence on me... It's really nice to have him around. I like being able to connect with these people... My parents both say I'm like an old lady."
For Mr. Tate, it is also a two-way learning experience. He said, "She is a very likeable child. If she's not happy with her performance, she'll tell me... If I do something wrong, she'll also tell the band conductor, which is great." He hopes that players like Zoe can continue the future of the brass band. "We need the next generation to join in."
Like the young band members, 90-year-old cornet player Doug Sawyer is also relatively new to his instrument. He said, "I didn't start learning until I was almost 80. I heard someone on the radio once say that if you want to stay young, keep your brain active... pick up an instrument and learn sheet music. So I did, and it worked very well."
Mr. Sawyer described the process as similar to learning another language, learning one book of sheet music after another, slowly mastering the basics. After moving to Tasmania from Western Australia a few years ago, Mr. Sawyer is happy to now be able to share this passion with his peers and a new generation of musicians. He said, "It's hard for them to make any sound at all. But... when they start playing and making notes, it's great to hear them play, to see what they've achieved, and the look on their faces."
