Bandlink’s great performance

Recently The Crossing Theatre was graced by the wonderful sound of a 120 piece student-orchestra.

The students from seven different schools came together on Tuesday, December 3 for practise and rehearsals before playing for the public on Wednesday and Thursday, December 4 and 5.

Bandlink, which comes to Narrabri once a year, ran for its 21st consecutive time.

Ian Cook was the conductor of the orchestra and together with Di Hall created Bandlink 21 years ago.

Mr Cook led the students who opened the three-day event with the ‘Newcastle March’.

“It’s become an expected event in Narrabri,” said Bandlink founder Di Hall.

“It is lovely to get out west and do these types of things.

“We had over 100 kids from seven schools.

“They’re working under enormous pressure in those three days.

“Sometimes they work harder there than they do at school, and they much prefer to be here than school.”

Ms Hall said that it is an amazing opportunity for the students.

“I bring staff who are young professionals to work with the kids and they’re specialists in their own instrument areas,” she said.

“That’s unique for Narrabri and for most country towns that you would get a trumpet specialist teaching trumpet or a trombone specialist teaching trombone. Playing in a band of that size they never do that any other time and that’s a great experience in teamwork

and listening skills.

“The next opportunity that they get is to go on to state events as some of the Narrabri kids have done.

“There are lots of advantages and some of them are quite obscure but they certainly work and that’s why it keeps going.”