history

The Manningham Concert Band is one of Victoria's oldest concert bands. A concert band was created from a public meeting in July 1974 and the first rehearsal was held at Templestowe Technical School in September of that year. This band officially became "The Doncaster and Templestowe Municipal Band" in 1976. In 1978 the ensemble ran as a brass band and then returned to the concert band format in 1983, and has remained as such until this present day. Incorporated as the "Manningham Musicians Association" in 1985 the band also ran both a stage band and a training band for a number of years. In January 2008
we moved to our current home at The Pines Learning and Activity Centre - officially opened by the then Mayor, Cr Ron Kitchingman.

In 2014 we celebrated our 40th year. Our Gala Concert was entitled "The Music of War & the Centenary of WWI" and we were happy to donate $250 to "Soldier On" from our Gala Raffle. The concert also included a 52-page commemorative program recording the band's 40-year history:

2014 Commemorative Program (4.8MB pdf file)
"Across the parklands and suburbs of Templestowe, woodwind and brass instruments sounded as a counterpoint to the calls of magpies and rosellas. Yes! The first notes of the new band blended in satisfying harmony, but could this small group of dedicated amateur musicians commit to regular practice and rehearsals, and could they become a performing band? Back in September 1974, who could predict the band’s future?..."

In 2024 we celebrated our 50th year. Our Gala Concert was entitled "A Musical Journey". The concert also included a 28-page commemorative program recording the band's 50-year history:

2024 Commemorative Program (6.9MB pdf file)
"A long form history of the first 40 years was included in the 40th Anniversary Year commemorative program, written by Denise Deerson and Cathy Latto, based on historical records complied by Andrew van Gemert, newspaper clippings, committee records, AGM reports and oral history interviews from Ted Clarke and Andrew van Gemert. A shortened version is reproduced here, followed by the next 10 years, 2015 to 2014."
 

Musical Directors

Michael Hughes July 1974-Feb 1977
Ken Evans May 1977-Feb 1978
Keith Anderson June 1978-Dec 1986
Robert Wagner Jan 1987-June 1994
Andrew van Gemert (Acting MD) July 1994-Nov 1994
Kevin Morgan Nov 1994-Oct 1996
Andrew van Gemert Nov 1996-present
Michael Harvey July/Aug 2024 (Andrew on holiday)

Andrew has been associated with the Manningham Concert Band for 41 years, initially as a player of various instruments, then for several years as Assistant Conductor. For nearly 27 years, Andrew has been our Musical Director and has received the Menzies Australia Day Community award and the Victorian Bands League's Merit award for service to community music.

In August 2019, Andrew was awarded Life Membership of the Australian Band and Orchestra Directors' Association (ABODA-VIC). This award celebrates Andrew's contribution over many decades to "outstanding work as an ensemble director" in the school and wider community and his mentoring throughout the state of Victoria, especially in the field of conducting ensembles and rehearsal techniques.

Andrew holds a Bachelor of Education degree from The University of Melbourne Institute of Education, and is a member of the Association of Music Educators as well as a Friend of the Percy Grainger Museum. Through the Australian Band and Orchestra Association, Andrew has been involved with teacher education, organising and presenting workshops on conducting technique and band literature. For many years, Andrew has worked closely with many overseas conductors visiting Australia such as Dr. Craig Kirchhoff, University of Minnesota, and Dr. David Waybright, University of Florida.

Andrew is also in demand as a conducting teacher and guest conductor of camps and workshops, and has been one of the adjudicators for the Royal South Street Society Concert Band Eisteddfod and conducting mentor for the Victorian Schools Music Festival in the past few years.

At Viewbank College, Andrew has taught music performance, music technology, general classroom music, and has directed many ensembles including the orchestra for the 2023 school musical "Legally Blonde". Andrew has been Producer and/or Musical Director for school and community theatre productions for 41 years.

The Band and Andrew's students benefit significantly from Andrew's extensive musical knowledge across just about every musical genre. His ability to interpret and explain musical style to his players, to impart knowledge about the composers and arrangers, is both comprehensive and enjoyable.

Andrew is now preparing for retirement from the Department of Education after 33 years. With his wife Helen, Andrew has been to Northern Australia on what is sure to be their first of many new adventures. But don't worry, Andrew remains at the helm of the Band and has new music ideas for us already (the filing cabinets are bursting at their welded seams and the librarian is tearing his hair out.

Congratulations to Andrew and a special thankyou to Helen for loaning him to us so freely.

Radio Interview - Andrew 2010

Radio Interview - Frances 2013

Radio Interview - Andrew 2014

Andrew was interviewed on "Sounding Brass" on 3MBS 103.5FM where he spoke about our upcoming Gala Concert "The Music of War & the Centenary of WWI", including celebrating the band's 40th birthday (2 August 2014 - 8.5 min excerpt, 7.5MB mp3 file).

Radio Interview - Andrew 2017

Andrew was interviewed on "Sounding Brass" on 3MBS 103.5FM where he spoke about our upcoming Gala Concert "Music of the Big Screen" (29 July 2017 - link to 3MBS recording, interview from 18:50-26:50)

Radio Interview - Andrew 2019

Andrew was interviewed on "Sounding Brass" on 3MBS 103.5FM where he spoke about our upcoming Gala Concert "Westend to Broadway: The Next 50 Years on Stage" (17 August 2019 - 8.5 min excerpt, 12.3MB mp3 file).

Limited-time link to full 3MBS recording 17 August 2019

Newspaper Articles

"Family duo keep in tune with the band" Leader 20/8/01 (80kB pdf file)
"All in for a sound achievement" Manningham Leader 21/5/03 (590kB pdf file)
"Award for loving all that jazz" Manningham Leader 9/2/05 (360kB pdf file)
"Top brass" Manningham Weekly 27/7/05 (240kB pdf file)
"Concert set to raise the roof" Manningham Weekly 27/7/05 (260kB pdf file)
"Birthday bash for band" Manningham Leader 16/8/06 (410kB pdf file)
"Band takes on silver screen" Manningham Leader 22/8/07 (210kB pdf file)
"All set with their $7m centre" Manningham Leader 28/11/07 (380kB pdf file)
"Roll up for swinging time with Manningham Band" Leader 20/8/08 (330kB pdf file)
"Conduct most becoming" Melbourne Weekly Eastern 26/8/08 (160kB pdf file)
"Musical feast on menu at gala concert" Leader 26/8/09 (260kB pdf file)
"Let's strike up the band" Manningham Leader 24/3/10 (480kB pdf file)
"Show to feature British Music" Manningham Leader 11/8/10 (120kB pdf file)
"New York's Broadway comes to Doncaster" Leader 17/8/12 (50kB pdf file)
"Band hitting right notes" Manningham Leader 6/2/13 (360kB pdf file)
"Help celebrate band's 40th year" Manningham Leader 12/2/14 (100kB jpg file)
"Jam Session" Manningham Leader 12/2/16 (110kB jpg file)

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