Flash News - literally.

Normally we play on stage at the Eltham Festival. We have done so for many years. But this time the combination of a new organiser, and our just assuming we would be scheduled led to the inevitable: two weeks before the festival we discovered that all the slots had been filled and we were not playing.

www.52flashmobs.com to the rescue: if we weren't invited to the party, we would crash it. On Sunday 13th November, we became the first of the 52 flashmobs. We brought in our drummer, we set him down to block the path in the middle of the Eltham Festival, and he drummed. The drummer was joined by a flute. Most would have recognised the piece from just the snare drum, but when the flute joined, all would have known that it was Ravel's Bolero. Gradually, out of the crowd appeared clarinets and trumpets and trombones and saxes and bassoons and horns and more flutes... We had the path well and truly blocked now, so people had to stop and listen. The music built to a climax, a conductor emerged to cut off the final note, and then we all dissolved back into the crowd.


Comment heard from the crowd: Husband to wife: "No dear, that wasn't Bolero. It was the other one you like". Maybe we need more than half a rehearsal next time.

The video is on youtube

Serious Stuff

We had two major concerts this year. The first was on May 28th when we presented a concert at the Eltham Community Centre. Entitled "Rhapsody" it featured Janis Cook performing George Gershwin's Rhapsdy in Blue.


The second was on September (24th and 25th). Entitled "A Celebration of Spring" it featured our patron, Fred Shade performing on Piccolo and Jason Xanthodakis performing a saxophone concerto composed for him by David Keeffe. We were particularly pleased that not only both our patrons (the mayor of Nillumbik, Helen Coleman, and Fred Shade) were present, but also Beatrice Shade, the wife of the founder of the band, the Late Ern Shade.

Next Year

Plans are already under way for next years concerts.

But we are not finished yet for this year. We perform at the Warrandyte Carols on 17th December.

To Book:
bookings@elthamconcertband.org or 0418 359 409 or 9457 7159