The final concert in the 2024 Christ Church Concert Series featuring the Daylesford Community Brass Band will be held on Saturday 30 November at 2.30pm at Christ Church.

Daylesford’s beloved Brass Band has a 161 year history in the community and the band is much loved and a feature at all key public events from street parades to annual war commemoration services, Christmas, Town Hall themed events and more. Their relationship with the public drives their commitment to performing and honours its long commitment to our community.

Brass banding in Daylesford has a long history, with the first band being formed in 1862. There have been many iterations of the band, the most recent being the formation of the current band (originally known as the Daylesford Municipal Brass Band) in 1962. Now known as the Daylesford Community Brass Band, their members range in age from early twenties to eighties. Banding frequently becomes a lifelong passion, and several members have played in the band for more than 50 years. They are very much a family band, with partners, children and parents joining to share the joy of music making.

The Band will present a concert titled “Fire-Water-Wood”, inspired by the local history and landscape. The concert features features two premiere performances: “Incantations” by Musical Director Dr. Mark Lyall, and the newly commissioned “For There is Nothing Lost” by Dr. Jodie Blackshaw.

Dr. Jodie Blackshaw is a proud rural Australian who continues to live and work in regional Australia. She completed her PhD in Composition in 2020 at the Australian National University. In addition to composing and presenting music education workshops, she advocates for equality in concert programs, especially in schools. She was voted onto the Board of the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE) in 2022 and has since focused on bringing collaborative opportunities to emerging composers of any age and demographic. In recent years, Jodie has created a number of works for her very own conservation series to bring focus to global issues impacting humanity. A percentage of all conservation series works sold go towards conservation efforts, with particular focus on Australian flora and fauna.

Daylesford Community Brass Band approached Dr Blackshaw to write a piece about the landscape of their region of Victoria, with a working title of Fire-Water-Wood. Inspiration was to be gathered from the volcanic plains, the mineral springs and the vast woodlands. “I read both heart breaking and amusing stories of the antics of the miners who came in the mid-1800’s to claim their golden fortune,” wrote Dr Blackshaw. “Whilst the gold era brought economic prosperity to the region, it was to the detriment of the landscape. However, in walking some of the Gold Fields Track around the area, I was both surprised and delighted by the rejuvenation of the area, particularly at the Blowhole just outside of Hepburn Springs and at Sailor’s Gully. A narrative began to emerge, one that depicted “fire” as the destruction caused by explosions and mining devastation, water as the ultimate healing agent (in terms of lakes, streams and the rich mineral springs), and the renewal of woodlands, both native and imported.”

Dr Blackshaw’s interest was sparked by her maternal great grandmother who was among the Swiss Italian immigrants in the mid-1800s. “The three movements will take you on a journey through Daylesford and Hepburn Springs’ history utilising a somewhat traditional approach to a three movement suite, that is, a march, a chorale and a processional. ‘Swept by Grief’ brings fire and destruction; ‘Washed with love’ emulates the love and conservation efforts of the European immigrants for the mineral waters; and finally ‘Blessed by Art’ celebrates the Hepburn Springs region we know and love today, a region that nourishes and supports Australian artists and musicians in many diverse mediums.

Date: Saturday, November 30
Time: 2:30 pm
Venue: Christ Church, 54 Central Springs Road, Daylesford.
Bookings: https://www.trybooking.com/eventlist/christchurchconcerts
More information: Visit the Christ Church Concerts facebook page.
Enquiries: Frank Page frank@pagebell.com or 0417 010 817