Cairns Brass Band win three Qld, NSW state titles

A Cairns band have shown they’re top brass after taking out three state titles in the span of six weeks.

Cairns Brass has sent three of its bands to state competitions in recent weeks, coming back with three first place results. Gary George,Lara Oya and Greg Martin play in the Cairns Brass senior band. Picture: Brendan Radke

A Cairns band has proven they are top brass after taking out three state titles in just six weeks.

The Cairns Brass Band competed in two Queensland and one NSW state title, beating a prestigious Sydney band to the post by one point.

Cairns Brass youth conductor Julia Christo said it was a great result for a regional band in a tight competition.

“It’s aggregate scoring so our youth band came first overall in their division and were named aggregate, three points ahead of the next band,” Ms Christo said.

Cairns Brass has sent three of its bands to state competitions in recent weeks, coming back with three first place results. The Cairns Brass B grade band won the New South Wales state competition, before both the C grade and junior band competed in the Queensland competition on won. (back row) Gary George, Jacob Ahern, Greg Martin, (middle row) Lara Oya, junior band conductor Julia Christo, musical director Jon Christo, Jaine Chandra, (front row) Carmel Hall, Lyle Oya and Rebecca Cochi are pleased with the results from the recent state competitions. Picture: Brendan Radke

“Then with the ‘number one’ band, we won by one point overall, so it was a really tight competition, and the band that came second were a top notch Sydney band, so we’re chuffed to have pipped them by one point.”

It is the first year since 2015 multiple brass bands have taken out multiple state titles.

“It’s a massive undertaking for us to get to any competition because we’re so regional, so to be able to take three bands in the one year, we haven’t done that since 2015,” Ms Christo said.

“We haven’t sent more than one band since then, usually taking one per year because it’s so expensive and usually the competitions are far away from us.”

This year’s Queensland Junior State Titles took place in Maryborough on October 5 and 6, with the NSW titles held in Penrith on August 24 and 25.

Originally published as Cairns Brass Band win three Qld, NSW state titles