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The Golden Kangaroos 
Hornsby Concert Band


Discovery Band

The Discovery Band is our program to teach absolute beginners how to play a musical instrument and play together with other people in a band. We run the band in yearly cycles, with each year's Discovery Band graduating to our intermediate-level Explorer Band.

We welcome beginners of all ages and musical backgrounds, with our program being one of a small number that cater for adult beginners. Prior musical experience of any kind is not an issue, as long as you are a beginner for the instrument you intend to play.

Rehearsals are held on a Monday night from 6-7pm mostly during school terms - precise dates are available on our events calendar.

Our fees are $65 per term.

If you're interested in coming along, please send an email to contact@goldenkangaroos.org.au. If you've got any questions, please check out the FAQ below and see if there's an answer for you there.

FAQ

What instruments make up a concert band?

A concert band mostly consists of three types of instruments: woodwind, brass, and percussion.

Woodwind instruments:

  • flute
  • piccolo
  • oboe
  • clarinet
  • bassoon
  • saxophone

Brass instruments:

  • trumpet
  • cornet
  • trombone
  • French horn
  • baritone horn
  • euphonium
  • tuba

Percussionists typically learn a range of instruments, including:

  • snare drum
  • bass drum
  • timpani
  • marimba
  • glockenspiel
  • xylophone
  • triangle (yes, you too can learn to master the noble art of playing the triangle!)

With the exception of string bass (double bass or electric guitar), concert bands do not include stringed instruments.

Great, I've worked out what I want to play! Do you hire out instruments?

There are a few instruments that may be available for hire, but we recommend that you visit your local music store to find out what hire options are available for you. These include programs run by larger music stores (e.g. Sax & Woodwind and Brass) or one of the major instrument rental companies (e.g. Musicorp).  Our conductor can help point you in the right direction.

Ok, I'm ready to start - do I also need to take private music lessons?

We recommend that all new players take private lessons. Our conductor will be able to help you with many things regarding your instrument, and provide tips and tricks about dealing with common problems. However, as time goes on, his main focus will be teaching you to how to play as a group. Private lessons will allow you to develop your own level of musicianship so that you'll be able to focus on developing band skills at rehearsal.

Our conductor will be able to assist you in finding a teacher, and we will also provide more detailed advice here shortly.

Who is our conductor ?

Matthew Blenman is the conductor of our Discovery and Explorer Bands. He holds a Bachelor in Music Studies from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, and is currently a music teacher and a conductor for several local schools, including Prouille and St Bernard's.

Matthew joined our band as a clarinettist in 2016, and from mid-2017 was the acting conductor for the Discovery and Explorer Bands until his formal appointment in April 2018. 


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