Competition Champs
Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Westgate Concert Band was heavily involved in the competition circuit. The youth band cut their teeth at the Geelong Eisteddfods and the Royal South Street Competitions in Ballarat, and soon entered the Victorian Bands League to partake in a myriad of contests.
Westgate shone in their performances, earning praise and accolades from their adjudicators, along with constructive criticism, of course. Westgate entered the state competitions at the B grade level, yet by 1989 had moved into the A grade level. In 1991, the band performed favourites Othello, Kaddish and Fanfare and Soliloquy and achieved their first of many A-grade first-place wins.
“Well, we had great expectations for this band and we were starting from scratch and indeed contesting didn’t come into the subject until a few years later because we were working the band up to a certain standard. Even to join the band, you had to be third grade AMEB or thereabouts…”
Westgate Concert Band withdrew from the Victorian Bands League at the end of 1996 setting their sights on alternative avenues of performances where they could attain critical feedback. Nevertheless, a formidable collection of past trophies in need of display testify to our grand history as competition champs.
List of Westgate Competition Trophies
1982 - Westgate Youth Quintets (First)
1983 - City of Melbourne Championships; B grade (1st)
1983 -Royal Melbourne Show (participant of 'Victoria on Parade')
1984 - City of Melbourne Championships; B grade (1st)
1984 - City of Geelong Championships; B grade (2nd)
1986 - Geelong; B grade (2nd)
1986 - VBL Winter Championships; B grade (2nd)
1986 - Box Hill State Championships; Open concert B grade (Winner)
1987 - Box Hill State Championships; Open concert B grade (First)
1988 - Box Hill State Championships; Open concert B grade (1st)
1988 - Box Hill State Championships; City of Box Hill Trophy
1988 - Winchelsea Band Fest
1988 - Pacific Basin Band Festival (Most Spirited Band Award)
1988 - Pacific Basin Band Festival (Silver Award)
1989 - Victorian State Championships, Open concert A grade (3rd)
1990 - Box Hill State Championships; Open concert A grade (2nd)
1990 - VBL Winter Championships; A grade concert (2nd)
1991 - Winter Band Championships; Open A grade concert (1st)
1991 - Victorian Band Championships; A grade concert (1st)
1991 - Box Hill Contest (City of Box Hill Trophy - Best Concert Band)
1991 - Winter Championships; A grade concert (2nd)
1992 - VBL State Championships; Open concert band A (2nd)
1992 - VBL Winter Championships; A grade concert (1st)
1993 - State Championship; Open A grade concert (2nd)
1993 - VBL Winter Championships; A grade concert band (concert items) (1st)
1993 - VBL Winter Championships; A grade concert (1st)
1994 - Box Hill Contest; State Championship, Open concert band A grade (third)
1995 - State Championships; Open concert A grade (2nd)
1995 - VBL Winter Festival
1996 - VBL State Concert Band Championships, A grade (2nd)
