The Federation of Australasian Brass Bands (FABB) is proud to announce the acceptance to the position of Patron by Adrienne, Lady Stewart.   

Adrienne, Lady Stewart is deeply involved in arts patronage in New Zealand. Born in Australia, Adrienne married Sir Robertson Stewart (CBE JSM) of Christchurch.   

For many years, she has quietly supported individuals and organisations throughout the country. Her sponsorships are often intensely personal and focused on ensuring that an individual is able to benefit from an opportunity or a career development at the time that it is happening.     

She was involved in industry and commerce for 40 years, becoming one of the country’s first women to be a public company director. Holding a number of important positions in both the Christchurch region and nationally, she is currently Governing Patron of the Art & Industry Biennial Trust, Chair of the Christchurch Symphony Foundation; a long-term judge of the NBR Awards for Sponsorship of the Arts; a member of the University of Canterbury College of Arts External Advisory Panel; and member of the Salvation Army Advisory Board and Christchurch Cathedral Foundation. She is a Canon Almoner, Patron of the Court Theatre, Hohepa Trust, the Sumner Lifeboat Inc and the Sumner/Ferrymead Foundation, and is Founding Patron of Raewyn Hill & Dancers.    

In 2009 she was awarded the NZ Arts Foundation Award for Patronage and the Zonta International Woman of the Bi-ennium.  

Chairman Rick Casagrande says, “FABB is extremely fortunate to have Lady Stewart consider Australasian banding worthy of her time and efforts and looks forward to working with her in an artistically rewarding relationship.”     

The lack of consistent funding from governments, grants and gambling trusts has left banding in the Australasian region struggling.    

FABB is looking forward to working with Lady Stewart towards raising the profile of banding communities of NZ and Australia with both the private and public funding sectors.

Australasian Open Championship
Saturday 24 October
Test piece: The Torchbearer, Peter Graham
Adjudicators: David King and Peter Graham

1. Kew Band Melbourne, Mark Ford, 197
2. Warringah Concert Brass, John Saunders, 196.5
3. K&N Spring Gully Brass, Bruce Raymond, 195
4. Gunnedah Shire Band, Nigel Weeks, 194
5. Brisbane Brass, Jon Christodoulides, 192
6. Footscray Yarraville City Band, Ken MacDonald, 190
7. St Marys Band Club, Paul Terracini, 187

Kew Band Melbourne

Best instrumentalist: Percussionist Anthony Brahe, Warringah

Australasian Entertainment Championship
Sunday 25 October
30 minute entertainment programme
Adjudicators: Lady Adrienne Stewart, David King and Steve Bastable

1. Gunnedah Shire Band, Nigel Weeks
2. Brisbane Brass, Jon Christodoulides
3. Footscray Yarraville City Band, Phillipa Edwards
4. K&N Spring Gully Brass, Bruce Raymond
5. Warringah Concert Brass, John Saunders
6. St Marys Band Club, Paul Terracini
7. Kew Band Melbourne, Mark Ford

Gunnedah Shire Band

Best soloist: Matthew van Emmerik, Footscray Yarraville

Chairman's choice award - sponsored by York Brass Instruments:
Riverdance, Brisbane Brass

Mark Ford, Matthew van Emmerik, Jon Christodoulides, Rick Casagrande, Anthony Brahe, Jude Myers

Professor Peter Graham, the composer of the joint commission between the Federation of Australasian Brass Bands (FABB) and Kapitol Promotions (UK) for the Australasian Open and the National Championship of Great Britain, has released an official errata for the work -The Torchbearer – Symphonic Variations and Metamorphosis on a Theme by Eric Ball.

The errata can be found at http://www.nationalbrassbandchampionships.com/index.php?id=15