[Das] Final Countdown

Kia ora all! Mollie Cornfield here - a fresh face to Wellington Brass in the humble but coveted role of 3rd cornet. Also joining me as new additions to the band are fellow back-row battler Sarah Wright and Ethan Mancer on Baritone. After moving to the windy capital for University it’ll be my first National contest with Wellington Brass, and these last few months in the band have been nothing short of awe-inspiring.

Look of a bitter disappointment for Sarah and Tommy abstaining from sectional (probably working on their triple tongue)

It’s been a whirlwind start to the year with the band kicking off our Town-Hall concert series, members having a blast at the bier band gig and the recent District Solo successes. As a newbie to the band, I’m only just getting accustomed to the Welly brass way of things. However, one of the more striking was discovered on my very first rehearsal. To my surprise, I was one of the first to arrive. A minute to go and a full band magically emerged. Last weekend’s rehearsal was no exception with Principal Cornet Toby Pringle sheepishly arriving minutes after the early Sunday morning hours of 9 am. As for being under the prestigious and gruelling baton of David Bremner, I continue to marvel at his impressive ability to wear jandals in the middle of winter.

With only 9 sleeps to go, the countdown till the National contest is truly ticking - much like Dave’s relentless woodblock hitting to the infamous triple-tonguing opening of Variations on a Ninth. To update on Brad’s blog, latest reports from score-keeper Dave is a meagre 2/10. Tough crowd.

Hall of Residence friends have commented on my lengthy disappearance to this mysterious ‘band practice’, even during University Exam period (I’ve now mastered the ability to study discretely during band). So I can’t wait to give them a taste of Brass-banding and get ears ringing with our upcoming pre-contest concert – go get your tickets! It’s gonna be a banger. Also joining our venture to Hamilton is Wellingtons Youth Brass Band, so come along and support them at their Contest-Prelude concert this week!