The Gap State High School Asymmetry Percussion Ensemble is set to compete in the grand final of Fanfare 2018, a statewide schools band competition.
The Gap State High is one of the five secondary school finalists who will compete at this year’s Fanfare grand finals on 13 and 14 August 2018 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Education Minister Grace Grace congratulated the five primary and five secondary schools who made it through the regional rounds of the competition. The regional competitions were certainly tough since this year when more than 30,000 students from 1,143 ensembles competed.
The biennial Fanfare program that started in 1985 continues to provide students with valuable performance experience and the chance to hone their skills. According to Ms Grace, Fanfare had attracted an estimated 190,000 students since the program began.
“We all know there’s a huge pool of creative talent in our Queensland state schools,” Ms Grace said.
“The Palaszczuk Government is a passionate supporter of fostering creative talent in our schools and that’s why we’re investing $14.4 million over the next four years to hire more music teachers,” she added.
The winner of the secondary ensemble is set to receive the Erica Brindley Memorial Trophy. The trophy is named after a dedicated state school instrumental music teacher who was killed in a tragic accident at Carnarvon Gorge in 2002.
Ms Grace said, “The memorial trophy honours Erica’s life and her commitment to music education in Queensland.”
Want to know who’s competing in the Fanfare 2018 Grand Finals? Here is a list of the primary and secondary school ensembles who made it to the finals.
| Primary | Secondary |
| The Willows State School Concert Band Conductor: Ruby Johnson Ashgrove State School String Orchestra Banksia Beach State School Senior Concert Band Ironside State School Chamber Strings Varsity College String Orchestra |
Cairns State High School Symphony Orchestra Conductor: Jon Christodoulis Stretton College Symphonic Band The Gap State High School Asymmetry Percussion Ensemble Brisbane State High School Symphonic Band Centenary Heights State High School String Orchestra |
To learn more about the statewide schools’ band competition visit the official website of Fanfare. Tickets to the Fanfare 2018 primary or secondary grand final concert can be purchased online or by calling 132 849.