Fresh start for UNSW’s community ensembles

Two University community ensembles, the UNSW Orchestra and ‘The Pipers’ Wind Band (collectively known as the LIME – Large Instrumental Music Ensembles) will in future be administered under a single Steering Committee of stakeholder representatives. Until now, they have been managed by student volunteers.

The new Steering Committee was launched with a short performance by members of the UNSW ‘The Pipers’ Wind Band in the Council Chamber last week. The Committee will have its inaugural meeting on 21 March.

“The creation of the LIME Steering Committee aims to ensure a secure organisational and financial future for the ensembles,” said Dr Emery Schubert, one of the founders of the Orchestra and an academic from the School of Music and Music Education.

“The UNSW Orchestra is the longest-running community orchestra on any University campus in Australia. Many thousands of people (including many non-university people from surrounding suburbs) have listened to our performances since we began in 1989.”

The UNSW Orchestra is a full symphony orchestra that draws its players from students, alumni and staff across all faculties. The Wind Band, founded in 1991, also draws its woodwind and brass players from students, alumni and staff.

The Orchestra’s first concert for 2006 will be held on Tuesday 16 May from 7.30 – 9pm in the Clancy Auditorium. It will feature Mozart, in honour of the 250th anniversary of his birth.

The Pipers Wind Band will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Shostakovich with a free lunch hour concert from 1.10 – 2pm on 11 April in the Clancy Auditorium.

For more information on the LIME, contact Emery Schubert, e.schubert@unsw.edu.au. To receive an email announcement before each concert, email Eric Sowey, e.sowey@unsw.edu.au

UNSW students and members of the Pipers Wind Band: l-r, Kimberley Lovell (tenor horn), Rose Foster (trombone), Daniel Meoli (trumpet) and Jeff Ma (Euphonium)