Brass Bands are quickly taking up positions for the 2010 Federation of Australasian Brass Bands Festival, also known as "FABB Fest" at Twin Towns Clubs and Resorts Tweed Heads. 

So far, twelve of the twenty-three invited bands have indicated that they will be at the Festival in October.

The following bands have been invited:
Boroondara Brass
Brass Band Limburg
Brisbane Brass
Brisbane Excelsior
Dalewool Auckland Brass
Darebin City Brass - Preston
Footscray Yarraville City Band
Gunnedah Shire Band A Grade
Gunnedah Shire Juniors
City of Holroyd Band
K&N Spring Gully Brass
Kew Band Melbourne
Marlborough District Brass Band
North Shore Brass
Osaka Harmony Brass
Royal Agricultural Society WA Brass
South Brisbane Federal
St. Marys Band Club Band
Alpine Energy Timaru Brass
The Trusts Waitakere Brass
Warringah Concert Brass
Willoughby City Brass
Woolston Brass

This is a major boost to the festival in a year where the financial burden on individuals is already greater through higher domestic interest rates and the general down turn in the economy in some regions of Australia. 

FABB is grateful for the bands who have committed and those who will commit once the May deadline for confirmation approaches.

The extra bands attending the 2010 FABB Fest will make for a far greater atmosphere to the Tweed Heads venue.  The ‘all in one accommodation and Festival venue’ works well for those who attend as the club/resort provides all facilities in-house - not to mention the famous Kirra Beach some 80 metres away.

A Night at the Opera

Saturday evening will see "FABB Fest" trial a new concept.

Twenty of the best soloists available from Australia and New Zealand will each be invited to play an Arias from an Opera or Operetta, in a friendly competitive spirit at FABB Fest's “Night at the Opera” show beginning at 7.00 pm on Saturday 23rd October 2010.

The following soloists have been invited:
David Bremner
Colin Clark
Stephen English
Ashley Gittins
Kevin Hickman
Phillip Johnston
John Lewis
Tyme Marsters
Riki McDonnell
Brian McGuinness
Bruce Myers
Liam O'Malley
Steve Ridler
Paula Russell
Matthew van Emmerik

It is tipped that this inaugural show will become an annual event and will present brass at its best to the show going public.

The Federation of Australasian Brass Bands has commissioned Swiss Composer, Ludovic Neurohr, to compose the test piece for the 2010 Australasian Open.

"Spells of a Deep Forest" by Ludovic Neurohr will be available for purchase from Kirklees Music from 1st July,  2010.

Ludovic Neurohr has also been invited by FABB to be a member of the adjudication panel for the Australasian Open Championship event. 

The Federation of Australasian Brass Bands (FABB) is proud to announce the acceptance to the position of Patron by Adrienne, Lady Stewart.   

Adrienne, Lady Stewart is deeply involved in arts patronage in New Zealand. Born in Australia, Adrienne married Sir Robertson Stewart (CBE JSM) of Christchurch.   

For many years, she has quietly supported individuals and organisations throughout the country. Her sponsorships are often intensely personal and focused on ensuring that an individual is able to benefit from an opportunity or a career development at the time that it is happening.     

She was involved in industry and commerce for 40 years, becoming one of the country’s first women to be a public company director. Holding a number of important positions in both the Christchurch region and nationally, she is currently Governing Patron of the Art & Industry Biennial Trust, Chair of the Christchurch Symphony Foundation; a long-term judge of the NBR Awards for Sponsorship of the Arts; a member of the University of Canterbury College of Arts External Advisory Panel; and member of the Salvation Army Advisory Board and Christchurch Cathedral Foundation. She is a Canon Almoner, Patron of the Court Theatre, Hohepa Trust, the Sumner Lifeboat Inc and the Sumner/Ferrymead Foundation, and is Founding Patron of Raewyn Hill & Dancers.    

In 2009 she was awarded the NZ Arts Foundation Award for Patronage and the Zonta International Woman of the Bi-ennium.  

Chairman Rick Casagrande says, “FABB is extremely fortunate to have Lady Stewart consider Australasian banding worthy of her time and efforts and looks forward to working with her in an artistically rewarding relationship.”     

The lack of consistent funding from governments, grants and gambling trusts has left banding in the Australasian region struggling.    

FABB is looking forward to working with Lady Stewart towards raising the profile of banding communities of NZ and Australia with both the private and public funding sectors.