Bendigo and District Concert Band

🎩📚 ATTENTION, WORD-WANDERERS, STORY-SPINNERS & LOVERS OF THE DELIGHTFULLY DAFT! 📚🎩 - Save the date!

Something gloriously gobbledegook is brewing… 👀✨

On 31 October, we’ll be bringing our performance to the wonderfully weird Gobbledegook & Gibberish Literary Festival — an afternoon where words can wobble, stories can twist, and nonsense is positively encouraged!

🗓️ Saturday 31 October
⏰ 3pm–7pm
📍 62–76 Kilmore Road, Heathcote

Expect words, wonder, silliness, surprises and a generous sprinkle of literary mischief. 🌀

So dust off your imagination, loosen your vocabulary and save the date!

Come for the gobbledegook.
Stay for the gibberish.
Leave wondering what on earth just happened. 🤪📖✨

🎶 Next stop: Bendigo Competitions Centennial Variety Concert!

We’re back on stage 8th August at 2pm, and it’s shaping up to be a fantastic afternoon of music celebrating 100 years of the Bendigo Competitions Society.

If you haven’t grabbed your tickets yet, now’s the perfect time (they open tomorrow). Come along, support live performance, and cheer on the band as we take part in this special centennial event. It’s going to be a brilliant show — and we’d love to see familiar faces in the audience!

🎟️ Grab your tickets, mark the date, and come enjoy an afternoon of great music, singing and dance.

Huge shout‑out to Nexus for their magical Beauty and the Beast production! 🎭
If you’re thinking about coming along, here’s your sign — not only is the show fantastic, but you’ll also get to hear a live orchestra bringing every moment to life.
We’ve got quite a few of our band members in the pit, playing their hearts out and sounding incredible.

Check out the link below and grab your tickets. Come support the performers and the musicians who make the magic happen!

Beauty and the Beast is on track to be our biggest-selling season in years! 🎟️ ✨

🌹 We're only days away from opening night this Friday! Now's the time to lock in your seats. If you've been waiting to book, don't wait any longer.

📅 24th of July to the 1st of August
📍 The Capital Bendigo
🎟️ Concession $40 | Adults $45
(Group bookings available at a discounted rate)

https://www.bendigoregion.com.au/arts-culture-theatres/event/nexus-beauty-and-the-beast

Big shout‑out to the Bendigo Times for the great write‑up on the band and our new Conductor!
Take a peek below… and treat this as your gentle reminder that your instrument misses you. Truly. It told us.
Come along, make some noise, and hang out with a fabulous group of people who won’t judge your warm‑up squeaks.

🎶 Sound the Trumpets… We’ve Got a New MD!

With the full support of the band, we are thrilled to announce… cue drum roll… Renée Boland as our new Musical Director.

After serving as our Acting MD for the past couple of months, Renée was officially appointed just before the Bendigo Eisteddfod — and now we finally get to share this exciting news with our community.

Meet Renée — the energy, talent and leadership behind our next chapter — check out her bio below.

Renée was born and raised in Alice Springs where she attended Bradshaw Primary School and St. Philips College. She began piano lessons at the age of 4 and went on to learn Flute and Saxophone, under the tutorship of Janet Newland, Marg Collins and Jim Lawrie. Renée was actively involved in numerous Eisteddfods, recitals, musicals, ensembles and bands, including the Alice Springs Youth Band. It was in the Youth Band, under the baton of Jim Lawrie, where she first learned about the foundations of discipline, team work, performance and fun, that shaped her future work with concert bands.

Renée began teaching instrumental music at the age of 16 and continued tutoring and playing music after moving to Sydney in 1995. During her thirty years in Sydney, Renée played and recorded with various ensembles ranging from amateur to professional, in venues from Parramatta Stadium to the Sydney Town Hall and the Opera House.

After a 12 month return to Alice Springs in 1999, Renée moved back to Sydney and began directing concert bands after completing an ABODA conducting school with the late composer, arranger, musician and educator, Jerry Nowak.

Under the mentorship of highly respected band educator Garry Clark, Renée developed her skills as a conductor and concert band director (along with her love for a strong low brass section). Her favourite aspect of directing is working with a band to develop ensemble skills, as she believes this is the foundation for truly connected playing.

Working primarily in the Hills District, Renée worked with some of the most recognised primary, secondary and community band programs in the state. Her bands achieved frequent success at the Yamaha Competition, Australian School Band and Orchestra Festival, Sydney Eisteddfod, State, and National Competitions. During this time, Renée also enjoyed touring regionally and internationally with her bands.

Renée moved to Bendigo in 2025, joining the Bendigo District Concert Band on Alto Saxophone. She is excited to take on the role of Musical Director and work with the wonderful musicians of the BDCB. She hopes to guide them in growing their presence as a community band who gives back to the city of Bendigo, while offering a welcoming place of enjoyment and experience through a shared love of music.

Get ready to shake, rattle and roll — our next performance is just around the corner! 🎸✨
We’re excited to be part of the Bendigo Seniors Festival Variety Concert 2026, and who doesn’t love a little rock ’n’ roll on a Sunday afternoon?

📅 Sunday 11 October
🕜 1:30pm – 4:00pm
📍 St Mary’s Anglican Church, 193 High St, Kangaroo Flat
💵 $5 Entry

We’ll be bringing plenty of energy, great tunes, and a whole lot of fun. Dressing up in Rock ’n’ Roll style is highly encouraged — think polka dots, leather jackets, slick hair, bright colours, the works.

It’s the perfect chance to enjoy an afternoon of music, community and nostalgia. Hope to see you there, cheering, clapping and maybe even dancing along. 🎶🕺💃

We’re excited to announce that we’ll be performing at the Bendigo Competitions Society Centennial Variety Concert — a major celebration marking 100 years of the Bendigo Eisteddfod and its incredible legacy in our community. 🎉🎶

This milestone event will feature an inspiring mix of Music, Dance, Bands, Choirs and more, showcasing the talent that has shaped a century of performing arts in Bendigo.

We’re honoured to be part of this historic celebration and can’t wait to share the stage with so many amazing local performers.

📅 Saturday 8 August

More info to come — stay tuned as we get closer to this special event. ✨

Send a message to learn more

What a fantastic rehearsal we had on Thursday night! 🎶
A huge turnout, great energy, and we were thrilled to welcome three new members on Flute, Alto Sax and Clarinet. It’s always exciting to see the band growing.

We still have a few seats waiting to be filled — especially in the Trumpet section — but players on any instrument are warmly invited to come along and give us a try.

With several concerts lined up in the second half of the year, now’s the perfect time to jump in and be part of the music. 🎵✨

Our final wonderful shift for the day. If you haven't been down yet, please come and say hello.

Our 3rd shift has been swamped! But there are still plenty of sausages for sale. Come to kflat Bunnings and pick one up.