The Australian National Eisteddfod’s Bands & Orchestras event last week saw awards spread evenly across the competition, with six Platinum awards, 25 Gold, 32 Silver and 11 Bronze awards presented.

Around 2700 musicians took part, representing 74 concert, school and jazz bands, orchestras and ensembles.

Canberra Brass, Hunter Wind Ensemble, Ginninderra Wind Orchestra, ACT Instrumental Music Program Junior Concert Band, Baulkham Hills High School Orchestra and Radford College Corelli Chamber String Orchestra received Platinum awards for outstanding performances.

A highlight of the event was the Open Concert and Brass Bands competition in Llewellyn Hall on Friday, where 12 open-age community bands from Canberra, the Hunter Valley and Sydney performed. Principal adjudicator Fiona Gardner, from Christian College in Geelong, praised the high standard achieved by the A Grade community bands.

The Australian National Eisteddfod will continue in August and September with Choirs, Piano, Singing, and Speech & Drama events.

The full list of bands & orchestras results

May 21 – Melba Copland College

Section B161 – 16 Years & Under Jazz Bands (Grade B)

Minimum of 8 players – Own choice item: 8 minutes

1. Marist College Middle Years Jazz Band – Gold and Kaaren Talty Jazz Encouragement Award
2. ACT Instrumental Music Program Jazz Foundations – Silver

Section B162 – 16 Years & Under Jazz Bands (Grade A)

Minimum of 8 players – Own choice item: 12 minutes

1. Canberra High School Jazz Band – Silver
2. Gold Creek High School Year 7–10 Jazz Band – Bronze

Section B181 – 18 Years & Under Jazz Bands (Grade B)

Minimum of 8 players – Own choice item: 8 minutes

1. Canberra Grammar School Jazz Ensemble – Gold

Section B182 – 18 Years & Under Jazz Bands (Grade A)

Minimum of 8 players – Own choice item: 12 minutes

1. ACT Instrumental Music Program Jazz Collective – Gold
2. Canberra Grammar School Big Band – Silver

Section B001 – Open Jazz Bands (Grade B)

Minimum of 10 players – Own choice item: 12 minutes

1. Prism – Silver
2. Daramalan College Big Band – Gold

Section B002 – Open Jazz Bands (Grade A)

Minimum of 10 players – Own choice item: 12 minutes

1. Twilight Jazz Band – Gold
2. Sonus Big Band – Silver

May 22 – Llewellyn Hall, ANU

Section B006 – Open Brass Bands (Grade C)

Minimum of 10 players – Own choice item: 20 minutes

1. Canberra Youth Brass – Silver
2. Newbery Brass – Silver

Section B007 – Open Brass Bands (Grade B)

Minimum of 10 players – Own choice item: 20 minutes

1. Victoria Street Brass – Gold

Section B008 – Open Brass Bands (Grade A)

Minimum of 10 players – Own choice item: 20 minutes

1. Canberra Brass – Platinum

Section B003 – Open Concert Bands (Grade C)

Minimum of 10 players – Own choice item: 15 minutes

1. Hunter School of the Performing Arts Junior Concert Band – Silver
2. John Agnew Band – Gold

Section B004 – Open Concert Bands (Grade B)

Minimum of 10 players – Own choice item: 20 minutes

1. Hunter Wind Ensemble – Platinum
2. South Canberra Wind Orchestra – Silver
3. Hunter School of the Performing Arts Senior Concert Band – Gold

Section B005 – Open Concert Bands (Grade A)

Minimum of 10 players – Own choice item: 20 minutes

1. Canberra City Band – Gold
2. Ginninderra Wind Orchestra – Platinum
3. Cameraygal Wind Symphony – Gold

May 23 – Llewellyn Hall, ANU

Section BPS1 – Primary School Bands

Minimum of 8 players – Own choice item: 8 minutes

1. Canberra Girls Grammar School Bandicoot Concert Band – Silver
2. Canberra Grammar School Primary Concert Band – Silver

Section B141 – 14 Years & Under Concert Bands (Grade B)

Minimum of 10 players – Own choice item: 8 minutes

1. Canberra Girls Grammar School Sapphire Concert Band – Silver
2. Marist College Year 8 Concert Band – Gold
3. ACT Instrumental Music Program Primary Concert Band – Bronze

Section B142 – 14 Years & Under Concert Bands (Grade A)

Minimum of 10 players – Own choice item: 12 minutes

1. ACT Instrumental Music Program Junior Concert Band – Platinum

Section B163 – 16 Years & Under Concert Bands (Grade C)

Minimum of 10 players – Own choice item: 8 minutes

1. Belconnen Youth Band – Silver
2. Radford College Holst Concert Band – Bronze
3. Canberra Grammar School Barrett Concert Band – Gold
4. Marist College Year 9/10 Concert Band – Silver

Section B164 – 16 Years & Under Concert Bands (Grade B)

Minimum of 10 players – Own choice item: 10 minutes

1. Hunter School of the Performing Arts Junior Concert Band – Silver

Section B183 – 18 Years & Under Concert Bands (Grade C)

Minimum of 10 players – Own choice item: 8 minutes

1. Canberra Girls Grammar School Holst Concert Band – Silver
2. Canberra Grammar School Middleton Concert Band – Silver

Section B184 – 18 Years & Under Concert Bands (Grade B)

Minimum of 10 players – Own choice item: 10 minutes

1. Baulkham Hills High School Symphonic Wind Orchestra – Bronze
2. Hunter School of the Performing Arts Senior Concert Band – Gold
3. Radford College Bernstein Symphonic Wind Ensemble – Gold
4. Daramalan College Senior Concert Band – Bronze
5. Canberra Girls Grammar School Empire Concert Band – Gold

Section B185 – 18 Years & Under Concert Bands (Grade A)

Minimum of 10 players – Own choice item: 12 minutes

1. Canberra Grammar School Fischer Concert Band – Gold
2. Baulkham Hills High School Symphonic Wind Ensemble – Bronze
3. Northern Youth Symphonic Wind – Silver
4. ACT Instrumental Music Program Senior Concert Band – Gold

Section BPS2 – Primary School Orchestras

Minimum of 10 players – Own choice item: 8 minutes

1. Canberra Grammar School Primary String Orchestra – Gold
2. Canberra Girls Grammar School Alma String Orchestra – Silver
3. Canberra Grammar School Sinfonia – Silver

Section B166 – 16 Years & Under Orchestras

Minimum of 10 players – Own choice item: 8 minutes

1. Canberra Grammar School Senior String Orchestra – Gold

Section B186 – 18 Years & Under Orchestras

Minimum of 10 players – Own choice item: 8 minutes

1. Baulkham Hills High School Orchestra – Platinum

Section B187 – 18 Years & Under String Orchestras

Minimum of 10 players – Own choice item: 8 minutes

1. Canberra Grammar School Senior Chamber Strings – Gold
2. Baulkham Hills High School String Ensemble – Gold
3. Radford College Corelli Chamber String Orchestra – Platinum
4. Hunter School of the Performing Arts String Orchestra – Silver
5. Canberra Girls Grammar School Holland String Orchestra – Silver

Section B010 – Open Orchestras

Minimum of 10 players – Own choice item: 20 minutes

1. Daramalan College Orchestra – Silver

Section B009 – Open String Orchestras

Minimum of 10 players – Own choice item: 20 minutes

1. Hunter School of the Performing Arts String Orchestra – Gold

May 24 – Llewellyn Hall, ANU

Section BPS1 – ACT Primary School Age Bands

Minimum of 8 players – Own choice item: 8 minutes

1. Maribyrnong Primary School Year 6 Band – Gold

Section BHS1 – ACT High School Bands (Beginner)

Minimum of 10 players – Own choice item: 8 minutes

1. Gold Creek High School Year 7–10 Beginner Band – Silver
2. Canberra High School Year 7 Band – Silver
3. Lyneham High School Year 7 Beginner Concert Band – Silver

Section BHS2 – ACT High School Bands (Novice)

Minimum of 10 players – Own choice item: 10 minutes

1. Mount Stromlo High School Junior Concert Band – Gold
2. Lyneham High School Year 7 Continuers Band – Silver
3. Canberra High School Year 8 Band – Silver
4. Belconnen High School Band – Bronze
5. Melba Copland Secondary School Year 7 Concert Band – Bronze

Section BHS3 – ACT High School Bands (Intermediate)

Minimum of 10 players – Own choice item: 10 minutes

1. Mount Stromlo High School Senior Concert Band – Bronze
2. Melba Copland Secondary School Combined Concert Band – Silver
3. Canberra High School Senior Band – Silver
4. Lyneham High School Year 9 Concert Band – Silver
5. Gold Creek High School Year 7–10 Band – Bronze
6. Lyneham High School Year 8 Concert Band – Bronze

Section BHS4 – ACT High School Bands (Advanced)

Minimum of 10 players – Own choice item: 12 minutes

1. Lyneham High School Year 10 Concert Band – Gold
2. Melba Copland Secondary School Senior Concert Band – Silver

Masling Encouragement Trophy: Melba Copland Secondary School