For some time now the Werribee Concert Band has realised that its double B-flat tuba was not what it used to be. It was quite old, a bit leaky and didn’t have the tone that it used to have. But replacing a tuba is an expensive task! Thankfully, in late 2018 the band was lucky enough to receive a grant from Arts Assist to purchase a new, semi-professional tuba!

Arts Assist is a not-for-profit community organisation that supports, nurtures and promotes artistic and cultural activities that benefit the community of Wyndham. They provide funding for local groups or individuals to produce a piece of art or make a significant purchase. The Werribee Concert Band was lucky enough to be the recipient of their major donation for 2018.

After the grant details were confirmed and the new tuba was ordered from Yamaha, in May it finally arrived! The first impression was how new and shiny it looks, as well as that it is bigger than the old tuba, particularly the size of the bell. But of course it is the sound that matters, and the new tuba didn’t let us down. With a much rounder tone, the new tuba is easier to play and has better volume control, providing the support for the band’s sound that a tuba should.

As the player of this beautiful tuba, I feel inspired to keep playing and practicing. It is so much easier to play and it sounds phenomenal. It is by far the highest quality instrument that I have played and it inspires me to practice harder. I want my playing to do this beautiful tuba justice!

Soon after the tuba arrived some of the committee members from Arts Assist came to a rehearsal to see it and heat what all the fuss was about. Janice Goates (Chair), Peter Ross (Director) and Alan Thompson (Advisory Panel Member) came along and were suitably impressed. They were very happy to see how their support is helping the band perform better music as we entertain and represent the community of Wyndham. The Werribee Concert Band is very appreciative of the support of Arts Assist, as raising the money to purchase such a high-quality instrument would have been an unrealistic and impossible task for the band.

I am looking forward to our major concert in July and hearing the contribution of this tuba at a venue like Iwaki Auditorium. It sounds great in the band hall, so I can only imagine what it will sound like in a venue built for music!