Musicians young and old invited to join James Morrison’s 90-piece Christmas Pageant brass band

The world-famous trumpeter is giving 90 people the chance to toot, blow and bang alongside him at our beloved pageant’s return to the streets. Here’s how to audition.

Virtually every musician in the country is getting the chance to perform with James Morrison at this year’s historic Christmas Pageant.

The internationally renowned Australian trumpeter has been recruited for the November 12 community event, which is celebrating its 90th anniversary.

To mark the milestone Morrison is putting together a 90-piece brass band, which will march alongside a 90-year float leading the parade. He is calling for musicians aged 14 and above to try out.

To do so they will simply send in an video of themselves playing his jazzy take on Jingle Bells. They can download the sheet music for it via the pageant’s website, where they will also submit their audition.

Reckon you’ve got what it takes to play in James Morrison’s 90-piece brass band? Go on – toot your own horn!

“It’s a community event, so it makes sense to have a community band,” Morrison said.

“I am hoping we can get a great cross-section of people – young, old, and in-between. Maybe some professionals, school kids and people who play in a brass band at the weekend – as diverse as we can.”

On pageant day the band, under the direction and leadership of Morrison, will play a Christmas medley and an interlude.

“It will be party-ish song that says we’re back out on the streets … it could be Dancing in the Streets,” Morrison said, referring to the pageant’s return to the city streets after two years at Adelaide Oval because of Covid restrictions.

Stephanie Angel, Brody Angel, David Gardiner, and Sebastian Demoulin are excited to audition for spots in the band. Picture: Matt Loxton

While it’s being called a brass band, Morrison said woodwind and percussion players were welcome to audition.

“But it needs to be an instrument you can march with, so, unfortunately, it’s no cello players and no pianists,” he said.

Instruments also needed to be audible outdoors, ruling out guitars, with bagpipes also a no-no because “they can’t play the scales”.

“I wonder if someone comes up something we haven’t thought of,” Morrison said, adding: “A 90-piece band is pretty big – a full size symphony orchestra is 85 – so it’s going to be quite a large band, which is going to be pretty impressive and have a fantastic sound.”

Auditions are open now until July 31. For more information visit christmaspageant.com.au.