WHEN: August 14th to 16th, 2026

WHERE: Hawthorn Arts Centre (360 Burwood Rd, Hawthorn)

Tickets available at the door
Day Pass: $9.00
Full Weekend: $20

Timetable 2026 State Band Championships
Friday 14 August
Section	Start Time	No of Bands
Open B Grade Brass	7:30 PM	3
Saturday 15 August
Section	Start Time	No of Bands
Junior C Grade Brass	8:00 AM	1
Junior B Grade Brass	8:30 AM	1
Junior A Grade Brass	9:20 AM	1
Primary School Brass	9:50 AM	1
Open A Grade Brass	10:30 AM	6
Open B Grade Concert	4:30 PM	3
Open D Grade Concert	6:45 PM	1
Open C Grade Concert	8:15 PM	2
Open A Grade Concert	9:45 PM	1
Sunday 16 August
Section	Start Time	No of Bands
Open D Grade Brass	8:00 AM	10
Open C Grade Brass	2:30 PM	10

Meet our adjudicators

Richard Shirley
Sections: Junior Brass, Open A, B and C Grade Brass
Richard is a New Zealand born trombonist. He grew up in brass bands and spent his formative years in the Westport Municipal Band before joining the New Zealand Army Band straight out of school. After six years with the Army, Richard went to the New Zealand School of Music in Wellington to study Performance Trombone under Dr Rodger Fox and David Bremner’s guidance. After graduation, Richard crossed the ditch to study towards his Masters of Performance at the University of Melbourne under Michael Bertoncello. Prior to securing his job in the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in 2016, Richard held positions with the New Zealand Army Band, Central Band of the Royal New Zealand Airforce, Orchestra Wellington and New South Wales Police Band. Richard has also appeared as a guest musician with Orchestra Victoria, Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra, Western Australian Symphony Orchestra, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and the Malaysian Philharmonic to name a few.
Richard has featured as a guest soloist with ensembles throughout Australasia, and is currently a guest Trombone Tutor at the University of Melbourne, Conservatory of Music.

Amy Wert
Sections: Open Concert
Amy Wert is the Director of Music at Toorak College, Mount Eliza and holds a Masters of Music Performance in Conducting from Syracuse University, New York. During her time at Syracuse Amy conducted the Wind Symphony, Symphony Orchestra, Women’s Choir and Concert Band. She was awarded the graduate music prize from Syracuse University for her studies and worked as an adjunct lecturer teaching the undergraduate conducting and music theatre repertoire course. She was awarded the Theatre Guild of Victoria music director’s award 2001, and a Lyrebird Award in 2012. Amy was awarded the Australian Kodaly Certificate in 2019, has an A.MUS.A on the clarinet, is a woodwind specialist, and has performed in and conducted bands and orchestras for many Melbourne and Geelong community theatre companies. Amy has been a guest adjudicator, clinician or conductor for Melbourne Youth Orchestras Summer and Winter schools, NEVR, VSMF, ABODA, Geelong Concert Band, Geelong Summer Music Camp, Kodaly Music Education Institute of Australia VIC, as well as many orchestras, bands, choirs and schools throughout Victoria.

Louisa Trewartha
Sections: Open D Grade Brass
Louisa Trewartha leads a diverse career as a trumpet player, composer, and educator. As an orchestral trumpet player Louisa has performed with the Melbourne, Auckland, Tasmanian and Sydney Symphony Orchestras, and since 2009 has played in over 40 operas, ballets, and musicals with Orchestra Victoria. Louisa has been a Yamaha artist since 2022. After studying at The University of Melbourne from 2008-2010 and ANAM in 2013, she completed a Master of Arts in Scoring for Film and Visual Media in 2016 at Pulse College, Dublin. Louisa has since been commissioned to write works for Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Canberra Symphony Orchestra, and ANAM Set ’25. In 2024, her EP Suite Water for brass quintet was released as an ABC Classic Commission. Louisa’s solo works have been selected as test pieces for state and national band competitions, and are also on the VCE and AMEB music performance repertoire list. www.louisatrewartha.com.au