“Music can name the unnamable and communicate the unknowable” - Leonard Bernstein
Westgate’s Musical Director
Elliott Westbury is an emerging conductor and music educator, having discovered a love of conducting while completing his Master of Teaching (Secondary) degree (Melbourne Graduate School of Education). He is currently completing a GradDip (Music) at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music and participates in ensembles including the Wind Symphony, Big Band, and the Saxophone Ensemble.
He has a long involvement in community music having enjoyed being a part of ensembles including Grainger Wind Symphony, Essendon Symphony Orchestra, Boroondara Symphonic Band, and now the Westgate Concert Band.
Living in the western suburbs, Elliott recognises the importance of community music and looks forward to promoting within the West. He lists positivity as his superpower and the Westgate Concert Band looks forward to working with him to create fantastic music together.
Assistant MD
Westgate Concert Band is thrilled to welcome Michael Potts to the podium as our new Assistant Musical Director! From a community Junior Brass Band player to a professional a bass trombonist with multiple orchestras, today he plays with the Air Force Band. Meanwhile his conducting journey has taken him from primary schools to all the way to Assistant Musical Director with the Inner West Symphony Orchestra and now with us! Westgate are honoured to have Michael join the family as a strong supporter of community music and the social cohesion and positivity it brings!
Previous Musical Directors
2018 - 2021
Jacinta Ewers
One of Jacinta's strongest beliefs is that you should never stop learning and loving music. This was integral to her time with Westgate Concert Band where her dedication towards supporting each musician’s journey was apparent, and her enthusiasm and innovation in working with community ensembles was at the forefront of her approach. A generous and patient conductor, Jacinta has also worked with Southern Area Concert Band and Onkaparinga City Concert Band. Under Jacinta’s leadership, Westgate Concert Band was particularly privileged to perform their ‘Reflections’ concert featuring stirring renditions of ‘An American Elegy’ and ‘Elsa’s Procession to the Cathedral’.
Nicole Marshall
With her natural flair and ability for conducting, Nicole Marshall brought energy and passion to her role as Music Director at Westgate Concert Band. Nicole was the recipient of the Rosemary and John Hopkins award for conductors in 2018 and the Melbourne University’s IgniteLAB conducting scholarship for the All Staff Orchestra Project in 2019. She has previously held Associate Conductor positions at Southern Area Concert Band Incorporated and the Essendon Symphony Orchestra along with guest conductor roles with various ensembles. Nicole’s defining moment with Westgate Concert Band was leading our 2019 event ‘The Planets’ performed under the dome of the Melbourne Planetarium.
Daniel Modica
MD 2015 - 2018, Assistant MD 1997 - 2015
Daniel Modica joined Westgate Concert Band in 1993 as a young tenor saxophone player. He completed his Bachelor of Music at the Melba Conservatorium of Music in 1998 and continued to hone his conducting skills by attending various workshops and clinics. After becoming an Assistant Musical Director of Westgate Concert Band in 1997, Daniel made the transition to Musical Director in 2015 when Roy Hamilton stepped down and served until 2018. As a superb multi-instrumentalist himself, Daniel further advanced the band’s musicianship, setting plenty of challenges for its members. Throughout his time with the band, he also produced dozens of arrangements, several of which have become band favourites. Daniel has also occupied the position of Musical Director of the Hobsons Bay City Band (originally known as the Wyndham Symphonic Band) (1998-2010), and continues to be heavily involved in the amateur theatre scene all around Melbourne.
Roy Hamilton
MD 1995 - 2015, Deputy MD 1979 - 1995
From 1972 to 2003, Roy Hamilton worked as a full time music teacher at Sunshine High School and Braybrook High School (which became Braybrook College) in Melbourne’s west. Here Roy developed an extensive music education program that sought to enthuse and encourage youth music. In 1979, he founded the Westgate Youth Band with Derek Humphrey to cater for the high demand among music students in the region to play more challenging music. Together, Roy and Derek melded the young band into a competition winning, ‘A Grade’ community concert band, with Roy taking over as the principal Musical Director at the end of 1994. After withdrawing from the Victorian Bands League in 1996, Roy initiated a Combined Band’s Festival in Melbourne’s west, which was to run for 12 years and gave bands an opportunity to perform and receive critical feedback. Roy was awarded a Victoria Excellence Award in 2002 from the Australian Band and Orchestra Directors’ Association (ABODA), and received a Centenary Medal for outstanding service to music in 2003 for his establishment and musical directorship of the Westgate Concert Band. After retiring from teaching, Roy continued to act as an adjudicator at the Melbourne School Band and ABODA State Band Festivals, and appeared as guest conductor with many youth ensembles, all while at the helm of Westgate Concert Band. In 2015, Roy stepped down as Musical Director of Westgate and in 2016 received an ABODA Victorian Life Membership for “outstanding service and commitment to music and the community.” A dear friend and mentor to so many, Westgate Concert Band were devastated by the passing of Roy in December 2023, but are honoured to rehearse in the ‘Roy Hamilton Music Centre’ at Braybrook College and will remember him and his contagious passion for music always.
Derek Humphrey
MD 1979 - 1994
After an impressive start to his musical career spanning the army, Her Majesty’s band and the Scots Guards, Derek (Derrick) Humphrey joined the Royal Australian Airforce Band and emigrated to Australian in 1964. While teaching music at schools in Melbourne’s west (Werribee High School, Braybrook College and Westbourne Grammar School), Derek and Roy Hamilton founded the Westgate Youth Band in 1979 eager to provide greater opportunities for young musicians to perform challenging music. Derek served as principal Musical Director from 1979 to 1994, actively recruiting students from schools and even ferrying them from the Wyndham region to rehearsals. Derek instilled self-discipline and loyalty among their young players, and most importantly, a deep passion for music. Upon retiring from directing the band, Derek maintained a strong connection with the group, arranging music for the band and frequently appearing as a guest conductor. Derek’s contributions to music were wide reaching, including establishing the Werribee Choral Society (later known as the Werribee Music Society), and in 2012 he was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for service to music. Derek passed away in 2019 at the age of 92. It was a privilege for Westgate Concert Band to have been led by such an inspirational, supportive and generous maestro, who is greatly missed.