TALENTED Junior Concert Band and Senior Band members 17 year old Marita Davies on the euphonium and 13 year old Daniel McKimm on the trumpet.

CONTRIBUTORS  ... Sale City Band member Reg Monck and Bandmaster Hugh Davies with ESSO Longford operations superintendent Gary Silgard. Sale City Band relies on contributions from the community and local businesses, such as this new transport trailer donated by ESSO Longford.

WITH its bright red uniforms and glowing brass instruments, Sale City Band has become an icon at functions across the region for more than 130 years.

Playing everything from classical, rock, jazz, swing and the latest pop tunes, the band has built a repertoire to perform at a range of events from local Carols by Candlelight, Anzac and Remembrance Day services to weddings, funerals and football matches.

Although the group has a busy schedule, band master Hugh Davies said players had enjoyed performing at memorable locations. "We've played at the opening of the Swing Bridge in Longford earlier this year and at the centenary of the opening of the Sale Canal in 1990, we played on a barge," he said. "We've also performed at the Moomba parade in Melbourne, the Federation March in Melbourne last year, the Royal Melbourne Show in 1983 and every year we play at the Mallacoota Easter Carnival."

With about 30 musicians in the senior brass band, 20 in the junior concert band and 10 learners, Sale City Band is currently a strong contingent and has enjoyed regional and state success at various eistedfodds and competitions. "Certainly we are one of the best bands in Gippsland," Mr Davies said. "We've even had a few people go on to Melbourne and make music their career."

However behind the performance is a dedication to the community.

Built solely on the work and effort of volunteers, the band invests its time into the region. "We do this because It's something we love," Mr Davies said. "There is no money in it, we rely on community contributions to maintain the band. "We charge a fee for functions to cover basic costs, but if it's a charity we do it for free."

Beginning in 1871, the band has a rich history and many devoted elderly players. Seventy-seven year old Bob Wallace is currently the band's oldest member. The former secretary joined in 1941 before leaving to fight in World War II and re-joining in 1966. "I played the base drum for 32 and a half years in the street marches," he said. "Then I took up theE flat base. "The band helped me, because I suppose if you come from a hard day at work you can come to band and it's a different atmosphere, it's relaxed and it helps you unwind."

"It's also a great family thing to get involved in, my two sons were in the band.'' Sale City Band is also committed to training younger members to establish a future. Learners are mentored by senior band members and may choose an instrument, which they hire from the band and learn to play.

New members can enter by attending rehearsals and the band holds an information night every February. Experienced players can enter the senior band immediately.

CELEBRATION time ... Sale City Band celebrated its 125th anniversary at the weekend. Ready to perform in the Sale pedestrian mall on Saturday are President Bill Sutherland, Terina Davies 13, and Marita Davies 10 pictured with former band member Richard Foale, Ballarat, and former committe member Iris Monck 80, of Sale.

THOSE winning smiles . .. Sale band members (left to right) Brian Joyce, Hugh Davies, Matthew Monck and Mike Vodanovich proudly display their winning trophy.

SALE City Band won the W.J. Chenhall Memorial Shield by taking first place in the Latrobe Valley Eisteddfod's D grade band competition.

Bandmaster Hugh Davies was delighted to accept the shield on behalf of the band members. He said "All our hard work has paid off, hours of practice and rehearsal, are all worth it when you come home a winner from such a hotly contested competition."

Sale was the last band to play in a section of six bands, which included Kew Brass, Morwell Citizens Band, South Gippsland Shire, Bairnsdale Citizens Band and the Maffra Municipal Band.

Mr Davies said "You never leave home feeling that you are a sure thing to win. You just go with the clear intention of playing your best and that's what the band members did."

The band was complimented on its ability to bring out all the feeling and mood that the composer had intended. Brian Hogg, Brass adjudicator from Melbourne, was interested in all the groups doing more than just playing the notes on the sheet. He said it was only when you played with feeling that the written notes became music and spoke to the audience.

Sale performed Music for Greenwich, Some-one to Watch Over Me and Crocodile Rock.

The band gave a strong performance with some fine playing from the soloists, and the choice of at eisteddfod music allowed for a clear display of the musical talent of the band.

It is a great achievement for a local band to be able to edge out competitors from Melbourne in a contest of this caliber. Kew Brass, who have an exceptional name for fine brass playing, were in second place and the Morwell Citizens Band, under the baton of John Breen, were third.

Sale City Band is preparing for its annual Melody Night to be held in early November.