Entertainment
5 June, 2024
Musicians ready for Cairns showdown
MUSICAL talents from Atherton State High School will this Friday represent the region in the Far North Queensland Instrumental Fanfare competition against five ensembles, all from Cairns State High School.
Being the only band ensemble not from Cairns High, the local high school musicians are excited to represent their area after taking home a platinum award in the regional heats.
Instrumental Fanfare is a bi-annual competition held between Queensland state schools’ instrumental music students.
Following the regional finals, up to five primary ensembles and five secondary ensembles will be selected to take part in the primary and secondary state finals in Brisbane.
Conductor and teacher Lachlan Szery said he specially selected the band’s repertoire to match their skills and to “wow” the judges.
“When choosing our repertoire, I was very careful to select stuff that not only allows us to show off but really plays to our strengths,” he said.
“We have four pieces - we start with a bright Fanfare, super energetic and exciting, followed by a fast-paced polka with a massive flute solo.
“We then have a Gaelic piece that has a poem embedded in it, which, with the permission of the composer, we have translated into Yidinji, and to finish with, we have a big swing piece with a big trumpet solo in it.
“I couldn’t be happier with our outcome at the Tablelands Fanfare heats. The kids played really well and we received some really positive feedback.
“The finals will give us a real chance to see how we go against other ensembles of the same level.”
