ABOUT 45 players from three concert bands will perform music from the two world wars on Sunday as a tribute to the Anzacs, at Mortdale RSL.
The music includes marches and swing, plus tributes to Artie Shaw, Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Louis Armstrong and Benny Goodman.
The bands are Kogarah Concert Band, the St George Concert Band and the South Pacific Concert Band.
Kogarah Concert Band started in 1888 and is reputedly the oldest continuous community band in Australia. Last year the band donated about 3500 items of brass band memorabilia dating from 1830 to the National Library of Australia.
Hurstvile resident Ian Bown, the former leader of Marist Brothers Kogarah High School Army Cadet Band South is today the musical director of the Kogarah Concert Band.
Mr Bown started playing music at age 12 with Rockdale District Band, which later became known as St George PCYC Brass Band. He became bandmaster of the latter.
A member of the Australian Band and Orchestra Director's Association from 1998 to 2013, Mr Bown was secretary and treasurer during this time.
In 2005 he was appointed as an associate to Pennsylvania academic Jerry Nowak for the annual ABODA Summer Conducting Schools held in Sydney and Wellington, New Zealand.
His principal instrument is the trumpet.
St George Concert Band was originally known as Hurstville Brass Band, founded in 1948.
Edgar (Eddy) Starr of Mortdale has been at the helm of the St George Concert Band as musical director since 1980.
He was the 1974 Hurstville Council's Citizen of the Year for services rendered to bands and music.
Mr Starr has been involved with music since 1960.
He was once a member of the Steelworks Brass Band, an Army Reserve band, the Department of Corrective Services Band and the NSW Railways Band.
His principle instrument is the tuba.
The South Pacific Concert Band was started in 1994 by members of the 4th Battalion Band stationed at Arncliffe.
In the past eight years the band has won first place in the state championships and had three second places.
Padstow resident Barry Davidson, who started to play cornet when he was six, is the musical director of the South Pacific Concert Band.
The wartime music concert at Mortdale RSL Club will be on Sunday, October 25 at 2.30pm.
Entry is by a gold-coin donation. All proceeds to go to Legacy.
