Hello lads! Welcome back to another brass ensemble blog. Today we'll be taking a look at British brass band tradition across the world! Lets start by taking a look at one of Australias premiere brass bands, Sidney City Brass.
Live performance of SIEGE for the Australian National Band Championships in 2023
This piece was written as a response to the Lindt Cafe siege terrorist attack that happened the15th to the 16th in December of 2014.
Program notes: The opening section 'Day' captures the abrupt imposition of the sinister siege event upon an otherwise festive Sydney city morning. The response is chaotic and concerned, as Australia tries to interpret the situation unfolding within the building. The siege is seemingly unyielding, with even the frenzied escape of five hostages not easing the tension.
A crescendo of movement pushes the work into the haunting 'Night' section. The eerie quiet, coupled with the shimmering of Sydney's city lights only heightens the unease both within and beyond the cafe's walls. After more hostages escape, an alarming sense of foreboding surges over Martin Place. Two shotgun blasts from within the building instigates an armed police raid of the cafe. An explosion of 22 shots are fired, and the siege comes to an end. Four people are injured and three (including the perpetrator) are dead.
The final section 'Elegy' is dedicated to the lives of hostages Tori Johnson and Katrina Dawson, who were tragically killed during the siege. Solemn and reflective, 'Elegy' hopes to capture Australia's heartfelt response to the victims of the attack.