What began in the mid 1970s as a brass and woodwind ensemble has grown into something much broader. Today West City Music is made up of the West City Concert Band, the West City Youth Concert Band, the West City String Orchestra and Waitakere Voices, the organisation’s choir. Between them they cover beginners finding their first notes, rangatahi stepping up through youth programmes, and experienced players who have been part of the group for decades.
Community music is one of the few activities where a 14 year old and a 74 year old can sit in the same ensemble, read off the same page and need each other to get it right. It builds confidence, it builds friendships, and for a lot of young people in The West it is the first time they have performed in front of a real audience.
Now the whole whānau of groups is coming together for one evening to mark the milestone. West City Music is celebrating 50 years of community musicmaking with a joyous evening, sharing favourites old and new. From early beginnings as a brass and woodwind ensemble, to today’s choir, string orchestra, youth programmes and concert bands, the night promises a bit of everything the organisation has become.
Here are the details:
Saturday 31 October, 7pm
Bruce Ritchie Performing Arts Centre, Massey High School
Featuring the West City Concert Band, West City Youth Concert Band, West City String Orchestra and Waitakere Voices
Tickets: available through Humanitix
Fifty years of volunteer committees, tutors, conductors, parents ferrying instruments across Massey and Henderson, and musicians who just keep turning up. That effort has given The West a musical tradition worth showing up for.
If you have ever played in one of the bands, sung in the choir, or just sat in the audience while someone you love found their confidence on stage, this one is for you too.
Learn more about West City Music at westcityband.org or follow them on Facebook.
If you or your organisation could use support from The Trusts, find out how to apply at thetrusts.co.nz/our-funds.
