THEIR band room might be quiet right now but musicians from the Holroyd Brass Band are still “keeping their lip in” after taking a second temporary recess.
Musical director Richard Sandham said they stopped rehearsing in April because of Covid-19 and had only returned to the band room together last month when a few localised outbreaks forced them to reconsider.
He said with 35 musicians from all over Sydney, they reluctantly decided to return to practising alone or in smaller ensembles for the time being.
“We were not really rehearsing for any particular performance or competition so we just thought it was safer not to,” he said.
Founded in 1972 as a special project for the Centenary Year of the City of Holroyd Council, the band of “keen amateurs” includes cornets, tenor horns, euphoniums, baritone horns, trombones, tubas and a percussion section and they play a diverse set list, ranging from swing and pop through to more traditional brass band tunes.
The decision to pause face-to-face rehearsals, came just as NSW Health concerns about wind instruments such as saxophones, clarinets, flutes and recorders spreading coronavirus stopped the music in schools, although Mr Sandham is quick to point out that there was no evidence related to brass instruments.
“There is a lot of controversy around the whole situation,” he said.
“Bands not allowed to rehearse but contact sport is allowed between different schools.
“It is quite disheartening for many musicians, and to not be able to play music at all is a real struggle.”