Box Hill City Band has been a performing brass band since 1889, first performing on 24th May 1889 for the Queen Victoria birthday celebrations.
Advanced brass players seeking a challenge, or wishing to perform with like-minded instrumentalists are invited to try out with the Box Hill City Band. The band regularly performs in street marches, concerts, and carols, in addition to participating in state and national competitions.
Simon Brown holds degrees from the University of Melbourne and the University of Tasmania and has primarily studied conducting with Monte Mumford and Rob McWilliams.
In a career spanning over 30 years he has taught brass in Bendigo and has been the Head of Brass at Carey Baptist Grammar and Xavier College and is currently the Head of Brass at Caulfield Grammar School, a position he has held for the past 17 years. In that time, he has directed various bands that have toured nationally and internationally and had success conducting various community and school groups at competitions both at state and national level.
Simon began playing the cornet at the age of 12 with Wayne Bowden in Bendigo, Victoria. As was often the case in country schools, Simon was playing with the Strathfieldsaye Municipal Brass band very soon after commencing lessons. With Strathfieldsaye, Simon enjoyed great success with the band winning numerous State and National B titles. After moving to Melbourne, Simon took a break from Brass Banding until joining Box Hill City Band in 2003 and became the Musical Director of the band in mid 2015.
Simon works regularly as an adjudicator for various festivals and eisteddfods and over the years he has also worked with Melbourne Youth Music Saturday Music School, conducted various bands and orchestras at the Melbourne Youth Music Summer School, Border Music Camp and Victoria’s State Music Camp.
For the Australian Band and Orchestra Directors Association (ABODA), he has given lectures and has been a regular Conducting Mentor/Tutor for the students of the ABODA Victoria Summer Conducting School.
At tertiary level, Simon has also taught conducting at the Melbourne Graduate School of Education at the University of Melbourne and is currently teaching conducting and second instrument brass pedagogy of the Master of Music (Performance Teaching) degree at the University of Melbourne, Conservatorium of Music.
