About the GCCWO

The Gold Coast City Wind Orchestra is a not-for-profit community-based concert band based on the northern Gold Coast. We exist to provide our members with the opportunity to play with like-minded musicians in a fun, amateur environment. We support the community by playing at local events and venues, and we are in turn supported by the community through grants from the Gold Coast City Council and donations from our patrons.

The Orchestra’s repertoire includes marches, swing, hymns, movie themes, overtures, and pieces specifically written for Concert Band. When the opportunity presents, we do compete at state and national level, but this does not happen every year. Orchestra members also organise smaller ensembles from time to time, depending on interest and available players.

Our brass playing positions include Trumpet, French Horn, Euphonium, Trombone and Tuba. Our woodwind positions include Piccolo, Flute, Oboe, Bassoon, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, and Saxophones. Most of our charts include music for drums, timpani and tuned percussion (glockenspiel, xylophone, tubular bells or marimba).

Our membership includes players from all walks of life, from high school students through to retirees. Some of our players are music teachers or semi-professional musicians. Many of our junior members continue with us once they leave school, and many of our senior members have joined the GCCWO after years (or decades), having not played since school or university.

Our Orchestra is well run, financially sound and well equipped. We are always seeking new members and performance opportunities suited to our size and capability. If you would like to know more, please email info@gccwo.com.

Director - Alan White A.T.C.L (r); Dip.P AGM; PP.Dip.AGM; M.A.G.T.R.

Alan White was one of the founders of the Gold Coast City Wind Orchestra in 2002. In 2019 Alan returned to lead the Orchestra again after the departure of our former Director, Gordon Richmond.

Alan has been Director of Music for bands in New Zealand and Australia, which he has often led to wins at State and National and District Championships. From brass and concert bands, choral groups, military bands, dance bands and brass ensembles, Alan has done it all. Alan has been selected in representative bands both in New Zealand and Australia, the highlights of which were attending the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, and also attending the International Bands Festival on four occasions as a Director of Music and being featured as a soloist often performing to audiences in excess of 5,000 people. He has travelled to New Zealand to perform with a top A grade band in the NZ National Championships on Tuba.

Alan has successfully competed in multiple championships as a soloist on a variety of instruments, and he has also successfully tutored and coached other players to achieve their goals, and has often provided specialist tuition to students prior to them successfully performing their practical music exams. Alan has won over 35 National State District and Local Championship titles as a Soloist, Conductor and performer. In attaining his most recent diploma in 2011, Diploma in Public Performance, Australian Guild of Music, Alan scored maximum points for the practical component and 98% overall. He was the first brass performer to achieve the Dip PP AGM qualification.

Alan has adjudicated in both New Zealand and Australia on numerous occasions and has led many youth band camps and master classes in both countries.

History of the GCCWO

The Gold Coast City Wind Orchestra was the brain child of Alan White, Peter Smith, Greg Latter and Greg Donaghy. The first rehearsal was on 16 April 2002, and the orchestra quickly established itself as the premier community band on the Gold Coast. The Gold Coast City Wind Orchestra has experienced considerable success which has been measured by it substantial growth and results at competitions - winning outright the two major competitions entered to date, and by being selected to represent Australia and the Gold Coast at the 14th International Bands Festival in Taiwan in December 2005.

The objectives of forming the Gold Coast City Wind Orchestra were to:

• Provide a musical venue where Gold Coast musicians can develop their musical and performance skills;
• Encourage Gold Coast musicians to explore greater musical appreciation by attending master classes run by nationally and internationally recognised conductors;
• Assist Gold Coast musicians to gain more confidence with their performances by competing on state, national and international competition stages;
• Expose Gold Coast musicians to a wider range of music styles, and gain a greater appreciation of other composer
• Actively encourage junior Gold Coast musicians to extend their abilities by providing the opportunity to play with a senior Band.

The first rehearsal was held in the Gold Coast District Cricket Club rooms, with approximately 15 new members in attendance. As word got out, GCCWO membership blossomed and within a few months the membership exceeded 30 people and the orchestra quickly outgrew the space available within the Cricket club rooms.

The orchestra started performing at Robina and the Broadbeach shopping centre and on each performance we gained a few new members. The highlight in 2002-2003 was performing at the gates of the invitational rugby league games (pre Titans).

In October 2002, the GCCWO moved to the library of the Merrimac State High School and once again membership grew. In mid 2003 the GCCWO were able to use the Performing Arts Centre. The down side of using these venues was that the Orchestra had to transport all of its percussion equipment and music stands to and from the rehearsal venue. Despite this the GCCWO continued to grow and regularly had attendances of more than 50 people.

In 2004 the GCCWO attended its first competition at Newcastle (at this stage there was no competition venue in Queensland for Concert Bands). The Orchestra performed with distinction, winning by 30 points over the 2nd placed ensemble. As a result of the efforts the GCCWO was invited to tour Taiwan in 2005.

After a very successful tour to Taiwan, the Orchestra performed at the National Championships in Brisbane, winning every section in the C Grade. This was repeated in the 2006 Nationals in Melbourne wining all sections except the Hymn.

In 2017 the Orchestra won the B Grade division of the Queensland State Band Championships at Redcliffe.

In 2019 the Directorship of the Orchestra changed with the departure of Gordon Richmond, and the return of Alan White.

In 2022, the Orchestra won the B Grade Concert Band division at the Queensland Band Championships in Toowoomba.

Di Miley was awarded life membership on October 17, 2022. Di joined the Orchestra in 2004, and served the Orchestra in the roles of Treasurer, Vice President and President for a total of 12 years. She also held the role of Librarian for 10 years.

The GCCWO's mission statement is:

The mission of the Gold Coast City Wind Orchestra is to propagate and perpetuate musical culture, across a broad spectrum of the public through the presentation of Orchestral Ensemble performances, educational programs, championships and the production of recordings. The Gold Coast City Wind Orchestra has as its central obligation service to the people of the Gold Coast, in particular the nurturing of banding within the youth of the Gold Coast.