State Solo and Ensemble Competition 2025

Hyde Street Youth Band had a fabulous day at the State Solos and Ensemble Championships. On full display was the commitment of our young players to their musicianship and craft, their support for one another and their joy of community and music, and so many fine young musicians from multiple band programs!

With 22 young musicians across 33 sections & 13 State Champions:
– 2 Juvenile (U15) State Champions,
– 5 Junior (U22) State Champions,
– 3 Open State Champions
– 2 Junior Quintet and Ensemble State Champions!

And a special shout-out to our courageous U10 and U12s in their very first competition!
All made possible because of the Victorian Bands’ League and volunteers, thank you so much.
And our accompanist, Patrick Lawrence, an unbelievable commitment to our young soloists – as he said – 18 kids, 22 pieces, 29 performances. But who’s counting?!

11 State Champion Soloists:
Ben Gittins – Open Flugel & Open trumpet
Will Lawrence – Open Tuned Percussion
James Lawrence – Junior Trumpet
Atticus Lawson – Junior Flugel
Angus Irvin – Junior Tenor Horn
Quinn O’Neil – Junior Euphonium
Stuart Burley – Junior Tenor Trombone
Jordan Doidge – Juvenile Baritone & Eupho
Harrison Brink – Junior Tuned percussion,

2 State Champion Ensembles:
Junior Quintet – EEEE A new E – Fern, Will, Imogen, Fergus, Izzi
Junior Ensemble – The Bariphones – Fern, Will, Quinn, Otto, Jordan, EJ and Dylan, Meg, Olena, Sky

And there’s more!:
Atticus Lawson – 2nd Open Flugel & 13th Open Slow Melody
Izzi Smith – 2nd Junior Eb Tuba
Quinn O’Neil- 2nd Junior Bass Trombone
EJ Gass – 4th Junior Baritone
Angus Irvin – 4th Open tenor horn
Ben Gittins – 3rd Open Soprano Cornet
Ben Borg-Cardona 3rd Juvenile Trombone
Charlie McDougall-5th Juvenile Other Brass
Dane Stockman – 4th U12 cornet/trumpet 7th U12 Other Brass
Harrison Brink – 4th Junior Timpani, 10th Juvenile cornet
Jimmy Cuming- =6th U10 any brass
Lucia Zimmerman – =6th U10 any brass
Peter Cowell- 15th U12 cornet
HAIOB – Harrison, Angus, IJ, Oscar and Ben – 3rd Junior Quintet
Team Sigma Brass – Harrison & Ben – 3rd Junior Duet
And congratulations to our members, representing their home band, Stonnington City Brass
Lucas Amado 10th U12 trumpet
Thomas Amado – 2nd U10 any brass & 3rd U12 any brass
Henry Amado – = 4th U10 any brass
1st in Open Duet – Harrison Brink and Aidan – Footscray-Yarraville City Percussion Academy!!

And congratulations to Billy Stewart of Wodonga Brass, who plays Juniors with us at Nationals- Junior Champion of Champions, State Junior Cornet, Baritone & Soprano Cornet, 2nd Open Cornet, 2nd Junior Slow Melody – a mouthful of different mouthpieces
And Phillipa Edwards and Andrew Wilson, our Youth and Junior Band MDs, and Junior Band Assistant MD, Fern Gass, who provided support to our young players.

Photo credit: Linda Ely