Banff International Festival
of School Orchestras and Bands

St. Joseph's College,
Gregory Terrace,
Brisbane,
Queensland,
Australia.

The Banff Virtual Scrapbook

Postcards and Staff Recollections and Student Reflections of the Banff Experience

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BANFF TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

In Banff I was taught fundamental techniques by the Principal Trumpet of the Vancouver Symphony and conducted by brilliant and very musical conductors who imparted a whole new level of vital musical knowledge to myself and everyone else. I was also able to meet and make friends with people my age from New Zealand, Sydney, two parts of England and all over America!

Charles Hudson

By far playing in front of 800 people from around the world, most of whom are your age and understand music as well as, or better than you, will be not only the highlight of the tour, but for many of us, the highlight of our musical life. It was a chance to show all of the guest teachers and conductors what we could do. As one conductor put it, we had to go all-out, because if we had any regrets, there was no second chance. For many of the seniors who have been playing in bands since the rickety old White House was the centre of Terrace music, it really paid off our five years of sticking with Terrace Music.

Michael Gynn

Getting to play in Master classes and skiing because I like to play music and it was a great experience to ski for the first time.

Paul Hodge

The tour to Canada and the United States was my first trip overseas. Playing music with the professionals was a big highlight. The pros knew how to play the instruments extremely well. I learnt a lot of amazing things from their classes, which will benefit me in further playing my trumpet in the Terrace Symphonic Winds. The second highlight was the skiing. I had never skied before and it was sensational. The lesson was educational and showed me all the techniques for skiing. After that it was up and down the slopes all the rest of the day. These are two of many highlights I had on the Banff tour.

Tim O’Shea

Personally, I thought that the actual festival was the highlight. The reason for this was that we were able to interact with the many people who attended. Even though it was brief, I still believe it was a unique experience being able to meet the people in their own country instead of ours. Another reason was that it snowed there which was my first experience of snow.

Edmund Hiew

Going skiing in Sunshine Village and playing with the teachers in masterclass. It was very enjoyable. They taught me many different methods of playing and improved my clarinet playing in general. All in all I think it was an excellent trip and I’d go there again if I had the chance. Especially skiing.

Martin Rogalski

Definitely Banff – not only did we play some great music but got to meet some great people, stay in one of the world’s most beautiful places, and talk to people from Canada, America, New Zealand and Great Britain.

Sam Guiton

The real highlight of the Banff Tour for me was two of the locations in which we stayed. The city of Banff was like something called up from our dreams. The way the mountains completely surround the city acts, in some ways, like protection from the outside world. The only moment that was important was the ‘now’, and each one lasted a lifetime. In such picturesque surroundings, the music that we played flowed freely and naturally, in a way that I have never heard our band play. The other setting that was very powerful was the small town of Palm Springs. This city was very much like Banff, however it was surrounded by a vast desert of nowhere and nothing. Both of these locations allowed us to experience a world away from worlds, and it was an experience that I won’t ever forget.

Michael Ellwood

One of the highlights of the tour was playing in front of all of the people from different countries and watching all of the other schools play in front of us. The dance at the end of the festival was really great.

Ben Weale

The home-stays in Palm Springs. If only we could have stayed longer!

Richard Jordan

The highlight of the tour was undoubtedly the concert on the Sunday. The String Orchestra and the Chamber Strings both played at a standard above and beyond our own expectations, which I feel is more important than any other goal we could have achieved. Without knowing a lot about concert bands, I could also tell that the SWE played at the best standard I’ve ever heard them.

Chris Rada

The place where we stayed in Palm Springs. I stayed with Jennifer Walker along with Tom Cowan, James McGarry, Mark De Ambrosis and Stephen Harrington. The two nights we stayed there was ultimate fun. We would sit and watch movies with Daniel Poppi and Chris Rada’s groups as well as go for wild drives through the City of Palm Springs, chatting to other host families at red lights, as well as go shopping. Palm Springs was a wonderful experience and I would love to go there again.

Fabian De Clara

Staying with our billets in Palm Springs. Although I enjoyed the musical aspect of the festival thoroughly, Palm Springs was a welcome change from the ordered lifestyle of the Festival. My home-stay was very friendly and showed Chris Rada and myself a fabulous time.

David Poppi

Getting such a good response from all the other schools, particularly when we played (i.e. standing ovation). While we were over there, everyone wanted to know about those "crazy Aussies". Therefore, the real ‘highlight’ of the tour was the friendships and hospitality extended to us by the other schools and how our school/country was always a focus of attention.

Mark De Ambrosis

Skiing was my highlight of the tour. Although I had not skied for many, many years I soon got the hang of it and was skiing down some blue and one black run (accidentally).

Kris Jahnke

The experience of seeing the Canadian Rockies for the first time. They are so unique, as they are very rugged, and were amazing with a thick covering of snow! This, added to the endless rows of snow-covered, dark-green pine trees makes it easy to see why this area is so internationally famous. The touring to Sulphur Mountain and Lake Louise allowed the full beauty of Banff to be portrayed, and the photos taken there will be long-kept!!

Andrew Hodge (Yr 11)

the day I enjoyed the most was the day i went skiing. It was my first time skiing and the first time I’d seen snow (apart from the day before). After a short lesson I boarded the chairlift ready to take to the slopes. After many falls I made it to the end of the slope. The four hours of skiing was the highlight of my trip to Banff.

Mark Frendo

The highlight of the tour for me was skiing. It was my first time on the slopes and I thoroughly enjoyed it. We couldn’t have picked a nicer day – the sun was shining and there was a slight snowfall. At first, I fell over a few times but I soon learned to overcome my balance problems. Overall, it was a great day and I’m sure Miss Sargent was pleased when it was all over.

Michael Lepre

Was when we woke up on the second last day at BANFF and it was snowing. Everything looked like it was a prop out of a movie, snow all over the balcony, 2 inch deep. Snow was all over the tree leaves, mountains and paths - when you walked out the door you could be the first to put your footprints in the snow.

Luke Edney

BANFF PERSONAL STORIES

On the morning of the last day in Banff there was a large snowfall. After breakfast everyone had a huge snowball fight. It was everyone for themselves, so I found myself hitting people who normally lived half a world away! The clinicians normally had enormous trouble getting anyone back inside to watch the performances scheduled for them, and what seemed like divine intervention topped off a great week in Banff.

Charles Hudson

To me the master classes at the Banff Music Festival were very helpful. Mr Potts, my saxophone master teacher taught me all about phrasing, breathing and tuning, and how to use these skills in everyday playing. I think all the other saxophonists all learnt a lot as well. This information will all make us better players in the future.

Mark Frendo

It was a glorious spring day in the scenic setting of Palm Springs High School. As I entered the toilets and approached a urinal, I did not notice the small black panel mounted on the wall nor was I aware of the sudden operation of a small red light, which had begun emitting through the panel. For lack of a button, I turned and began my journey to the sink, unaware that the red light had ceased to radiate its ominous glow, having sacrificed its power to a now dominant green light. I was no more than halfway across the tiled floor when ... WHOOSH! I whirled around, ready for a battle to the death with a toilet-dwelling beast. Instead, I was confronted by the harmonious sight of an infrared, self-flushing urinal! I happily made my way back to the sink only to find that they too were infrared. It was certainly one amazing toilet block. I left the structure chuckling at the various exclamations of my fellow musicians. What a great experience.

Michael Gynn

It was funny to look at the photo of me coming down the drop on the Jurassic Park ride at Universal Studios.

Paul Hodge

At Universal Studios Daniel, David and I went on the Jurassic Park Ride. When we got on the ride we were the only ones without a raincoat! Was this telling us something? On the ride, it had a very steep drop and splash down at the end. We got soaked. That didn’t worry us. We then went back to queue again for more of this sensational ride. I really enjoyed Universal Studios.

Tim O’Shea

During my visit to Palm Springs, I saw a car with hydraulics drive a corner on two wheels. It was after the 10 o’clock curfew and the car released the bonnet, scraping it along the road sending sparks into the air.

Edmund Hiew

At Banff, my camera spat the dummy when I tried to take a photo of a really big mountain. I bought another camera at Palm Springs because they were quite cheap there. On the day before Disneyland I picked up a stomach bug, and was unable to go to Disneyland.

Overall, it was the best trip I have been on.

Ben Weale

Okay, so I’m not the best skier in the world! (In fact I may well be the worst). Picture this: Skiing day, and, after a quick mix-up with my actual skis (involving my not being able to get them on!) I arrived at where my beginner’s class was to be held – to find that the entire class had completely disappeared. No matter, for reliable Charles Hudson arrived on the scene to teach me the basics. Ten minutes later and I’m lying under a park bench, still dazed and a slight bit winded from the collision. Apparently my attempts at braking on the hillside had proven futile. Charles had given up on me, and as I sat there in the snow watching 2 year olds ski gracefully by, someone threw a snowball at me to complete the experience. What a fun-filled day!

Richard Jordan

Skiing was probably the best part even though … I got lost … somehow. I started out going down a pretty pitiful slope then the path broke in two. I chose wrong, choosing the left I had quite a bumpy ride to a chair lift that looked as though it would take me back to the village. Nop! I ended up …. I don’t know where on some mountain. Asking around, I thought I had it all figured out. "Which way back to the village?" "Just catch that chair-lift." So I did but ended up on the tallest mountain and having to ski down it. It was a Blue. I’ve never skied before!!!

A Lee

When we got to the ski fields we had to go to a ski lesson. My friend (Greg Chiapello) and I got on the wrong chair lift and ended up on the highest mountain. It took us an hour to get down (not knowing how to ski).

Kris Jahnke

The day spent skiing was my first, and typically or not, it was a disaster! After an hour’s lesson, at the start of the day, my confidence had not increased at all, and I was left to keep practising on the beginner’s slopes! Difficult as it was, it was a great experience and the spectacular scenery that surrounded me on all sides more than made up for any disappointments suffered while skiing!!

Andrew Hodge (Yr 11)

The billeting was an enjoyable experience for me, as it was a first. At the start, I was a little scared of what awaited me but I soon settled right in. My home-stays were really nice and we went to the Palm Desert Mall, the Living Desert and to downtown Palm Springs. The Living Desert was great as I got to experience the native plants and animals of the American desert. Billeting was a very enjoyable and educational experience that I will never forget.

Michael Lepre

After an hour of teaching us the basics of skiing, we were on our own, ready to face an action packed day. At the top of the mountain, we were ready to go and after one minute of mentally focusing on the task at head, I was off. However to my embarrassment, it took me nearly 10 mins to get down the slope! On my second attempt, I adopted a new style which involved sitting on the slopes and steering with your backside! I liked this new style as it allowed me to not only travel faster but I felt that I had more control as well. So after a total of seven successful turns, the only thing I had to show for it was a very wet and cold pair of ski suit pants.

Fabian De Clara

My home-stay in Palm Springs owned a Pontiac Trans am, a very nice and expensive convertible, which we cruised around in for most of my stay. He was 18 years old so, being only one year older than me he liked the same music, which he played loud in his car and was interested in much the same things as me. He was extremely friendly but his car sure was something else.

David Poppi

At our stay at Palm Springs, my home-stay people took me to the movies. To my delight, it only cost $1 to see a movie. This was far more reasonable than the $9.50 that they ask for over here.

Sam Guiton

The date : 1^st April 1999.

The time : Dinnertime.

The place : The Banff Centre Upper Dining Hall.

Following a performance by our Junior String Group which featured a spectacular, bass-riding performance from Anthony McIlwain, the hive of activity at dinner was buzzing, blissfully unaware of the impending excitement. It all started with an ominous noise coming from one of the tables filled with ‘those crazy oar-sees (aussies)’. A gradual crescendo of stamping feet, drumming hands and rowdy shorts filled the hall, at which point most people looked up from their plates. A sudden silence instantly after the loudest point was followed by an even more sudden call of a Pterodactyl. Everyone was stunned, some did not know what had occurred. I think Luke Walsh summed up our reactions when he jumped out of his seat and shouted "What was that? Who was that?". The Pterodactyl was to make several more calls throughout the Festival but, strangely enough, it was never spotted. One of the chaperones from Missouri was convinced that it was an elaborate hoax, and blamed it on a ‘native Australian animal’ which we were allegedly carrying as a mascot (?!). Whatever be the truth, the unforgettable experience ushered in by the Pterodactyl and its powers of concealment will never be forgotten by me nor my peers.

P.S. Some of the snow was alright too.

Anthony Romaniuk

When we arrived at Universal Studios, I had been sick for a couple of days, so I wasn't planning on doing much but then came the Jurassic ride. Nothing better to clear the sinuses than flying down an 85ft drop at at 40deg angle and hitting the water at the bottom doing 120kmh. Of course I went on it three times, got drenched to the bone and was shivering the whole way home but at least I can say ... I survived the Jurassic Park ride
.... 3 times!!

Luke Edney

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