Australian banding identity Joe Cook was inducted as the inaugural recipient of the NBCA Meritorious Service Award during the ‘Premier’ Grade awards ceremony at the conclusion of the Australian National Band Championships in Melbourne on Sunday evening.
The newly instigated NBCA Meritorious Service Award recognises distinguished, special or long-term service, resulting in a significant contribution, to community banding in Australia through a band or organisation registered with an affiliated State Governing Body.
Joe began playing in community bands in 1961 with St Marys District Band, and over the sixty plus years that have passed since then, has contributed to community banding across Australia as a player, mentor, conductor, adjudicator, composer and arranger.
This includes twenty three years service with the Australian Army Band Corps, as well as time with the St Marys Band, Queanbeyan RSL Brass, Canberra Symphony Orchestra, Hawthorn City Band, Perth City Band, Midland Brass, City of Holroyd Brass Band, Footscray-Yarraville City Band, Glenorchy City Concert Brass, Hobart City Brass, Hobart City Band (now the Hobart Wind Symphony), Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Western Australian Symphony Orchestra, Australian Show Band, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Derwent Valley Concert Band, Derwent Symphony Orchestra, Huon Valley Concert Band, Island Brass Academy, Hobart Chamber Orchestra, University of Tasmania Conservatorium of Music ensembles, Solitaire Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble, Low Key Brass, Tasmanian Jubilee Brass and National Australia Brass.
Joe is an exemplary soloist. This is best demonstrated through his involvement with the Ern Keller contest (participation in which requires winning the Champion of Champions event at either the State or National level). Joe competed in the Ern Keller in 1977, 1985 (winner of the Ern Keller Memorial Trophy), 1998, 1999, 2001 (winner of the Ern Keller Memorial Trophy), 2002, 2003 (winner of the Ern Keller International Soloist of the year), 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2011 (winner of the Ern Keller Australasian Soloist of the year) and 2013. 2008 and 2010 weren’t on that list, but Joe also won the Open Brass Champion of Champions for Tasmania for those years too.
There are currently 88 compositions and arrangements by Joe in the library of the Glenorchy City Concert Brass, and over 30 compositions and arrangements lodged with the National Library of Australia. Joe has restored new or refocused life into older works through his arrangements, and his compositions have included poignant snapshots of Tasmanian community and events.
At the national level, Joe’s arrangements and compositions – ‘New Prince, New Pomp’, ‘Alleluia, Sing to Jesus (Hyfrydol)’, ‘The Cataract’, ‘The Reason’ and ‘Earl’s Court’ – have been performed by contesting bands at the Australian National Band Championships. A particular favourite, Joe’s arrangement of ‘Be Thou My Vision (Slane)’ has been contested six times at the contest. Two of his marches, ‘Keighley Moor’ and ‘Taskforce’, are on the NBCA’s Prescribed March List and are often selected for performance at state and national titles.
The Tasmanian Bands League are extremely proud to nominate Joe Cook for this award. Joe is the very personification of “a bandsperson” – a brass champion, a concert champion, composer and an arranger.
Congratulations Joe.
