CANBERRA CITY BAND - Go On tour to Adelaide
On this day, 9 March back in 1966, the Canberra City Band were preparing for their tour to the Adelaide Arts Festival. The Adelaide Festival has been around since 1960 and is still in operation in 2025.
In 1966, Bill Hoffman (who was the Musical Director at the time and is a CCB Life Member) took the band of 27 musicians including: Mr John Sharp (Life Member), Mr Steve Maitland, Mr David Fraser, Mr Paul Gamp (Life Member), Mr Jack Bickle, and Mr Harry Trowbridge who we see photographed. (Edited: Mr Peter CaseyBrisbane was also on that tour and he has commented below!).
Some home video footage of the time shows the band on a vintage flxible clipper, those coaches used by prominent bus companies at the time to provide Inter State bus transfers. What’s the link to today in 2025?
Well, our bands were rehearsing during March to prepare for the National Band Competition held in Melbourne over Easter 2025. Simon Mitchell (Life Member) and Danielle Smith (long term band member) own one of these very same flxible clippers! Simon drove some band members, not all the way to Melbourne, but to the Yass Station to catch the train to Melbourne.
A Flxible Clipper “Then”
A Flxible Clipper “Now”
It was a great way to celebrate the upcoming band tour, as well as remember the band tours of the past.
While the Trove download of the The Canberra Times article of Wednesday 9 Mar 1966, is here for you to see, the quality makes it a bit tricky to read! We have transcribed it here for you:
“Members of the Canberra City Band had their last rehearsal on Monday night before leaving tomorrow to give performances at the Adelaide Festival of Arts, which begins on Saturday under the leadership of Bandmaster Mr. W. L. Hoffman, of Forrest. The 27 strong band will march in the opening ceremony on Saturday and will then give the first concert in the festival series of outdoor productions in the Elder Park surround shell. The band which will be away from Canberra for a week, will give six performances during their stay at the festival.”
Photo #1 These three members of the Canberra City Band, together with 24 others, took part in the last rehearsal at Ainslie Public School on Monday night. The enthusiastic trombone players are, from left, Mr John Sharp, Mr Steve Maitland and Mr David Fraser.
Photo #2 Mr Paul Gamp concentrates on his practising with the French Horn during the rehearsal. It takes a lot of air to produce the deep notes, but Mr Jack Bickle left, and Mr Harry Trowbridge have had plenty of experience in the handling of their Sousaphones.
The Canberra Times, Wed 9 Mar 1966