Our People

Our band is administered by a voluntary body consisting mainly of parents of playing members. All Committee positions, including those of President, Vice President, Secretary, Wardrobe Manager and Treasurer, are elected annually at the band’s A.G.M.

Being an office bearer for the HSYB is not an overly onerous task. The philosophy of many hands make light work applies and historically many parents of band members have recognised that being involved with the band is a positive and rewarding experience.

2024 Committee:

Musical Director HSYB – Phillipa Edwards

Phillipa studied a Bachelors of Music at the University of Melbourne before going on to complete a Graduate Diploma of Education through the University of New England. She is a past Director of Melbourne Youth Music and the A Grade Footscray Yarraville City Band and is the current Musical Director for the A Grade Glenferrie Band and the Victorian Youth State Brass Band. Under her direction, the band has won numerous State Title and National titles and has been key to seeing the band regraded firstly to Junion B and then Junior A grade.

Phillipa has a love for brass music and sees the import roll played by the Hyde Street Youth Band in developing musicians of the future. As an experienced educator, Phillipa has taken on the role of mentoring other MDs and getting the best out of our members.

Musical Director HSJB – Andrew Wilson 

Having been handed a cornet at the age of 7 from the Mt Gambier Salvation Army, brass banding has always been a major part of Andrew’s life.

In 1998 Andrew joined the Mt Gambier City Band where he was principal cornet until moving to Melbourne in 2004, where he joined Sunshine Community Brass on cornet before moving to Soprano.

Andrew has been involved with the Wimmera Band’s Group Music School as a student and on staff for the last 15 years. It is at this camp that Andrew discovered his passion for conducting and has been able to learn different techniques from a number of his peers.

Andrew is looking forward to the challenge of working with the Hyde Street Junior Band and providing encouragement to developing players.

Musical Director Brass Class – Caitlin Taylor

Caitlin studied music at the Victorian College of the Arts. In 2018 Caitlin toured Europe and the UK as Associate Principal Cornet for the award winning production “The Silent Anzac”. She currently calls the Glenferrie Band home but is in heavy demand as a solo cornet player and is frequently called upon by other bands as a guest artist. Caitlin teaches music at a number of schools in the Western suburbs of Melbourne.