14 August 2007

The New Zealand Army Band has caught the eye of several of the top European tattoos and festivals following “resoundingly successful” performances recently in Italy and Switzerland, says the band’s Director of Music, Major Leanne Smith.

The band travelled to Modena, Italy in July to appear at the Modena International Military Festival, hosted by the Academia Militarie and the city of Modena. Modena is the home of Ferrari and Maserati and is located in northern Italy about two hours south from Milan. It performed a 10-minute marching display involving complex drill and an array of traditional pop and brass band music in addition to concerts in Modena, Carpi and Vignola.

This year’s marching display involved “Rocky” and “Get Smart” theme music, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, the singing of Pokarekare Ana, dancing to jive drumming, and the haka.

Army artist Matt Gauldie, who accompanied the band and will paint their activities, said the performance in front of combined audience of over 30,000 people was an exciting blend of precision and performance.

The concert programme was a blend of New Zealand music and international favourites. The score commissioned as a memorial for the Return of the Unknown Warrior to New Zealand in 2004 and composed by WO2 Dwayne Bloomfield was played, as were haunting solos by individual band members, the most memorable being the Flugelhorn solo played by Sgt Tyme Marsters in Concerto de Arranjuez. The New Zealand Army Band was awarded the honour of the best band of the festival and was granted the encore performance after the final massed band performances.

After Modena the band played at the Basel Tattoo in Basel, Switzerland. Basel is on the banks of the Rhine and is on the border of Switzerland, France and Germany. It travelled to Switzerland through the scenic Swiss Alps, arriving to a demanding schedule of rehearsals and meetings with Tattoo organisers. The Tattoo was attended by 23 Brass, Pipe, marching and singing groups from Ireland, Great Britain, Germany, Holland, Denmark, Switzerland and New Zealand.

The band rehearsed for three days, building up to its first performance in Switzerland.

Acting Drum Major Staff Sergeant Ian Cotton said rehearsals “have been challenging in the rain and sleet of Burnham and it is an amazing contrast to the dry 35°plus we experienced in Basel.”

On the opening night of the Basel Tattoo, the band received three standing ovations from the 7000 – strong audience after its marching routine.

The Drum Major, Staff Sergeant Tristan Mitchell was unable to front the band due to a rugby injury received just weeks before the Europe tour. He choreographed the routine and chose the music medley, mixing traditional Brass, pop, movie soundtracks and Maori music. The band went on to receive standing ovations after all of its further performances during the week.

The New Zealand Army Band is now back in New Zealand and has just supported the 1 RNZIR 50th Birthday Parades in Linton and Palmerston North.

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