Whitehorse Brass was established in 2015, and provides opportunities for brass and percussion players to rehearse and perform together in a fun, inclusive and social brass band.
The band performs in a variety of parades and community events throughout the year including the ANZAC Day Parade, the City of Whitehorse Spring Festival and the Royal Melbourne Show. The band also competes in state and national contests, placing 3rd in Open D Grade at the 2018 National Band Championships and winning the Open D Grade title at the 2018 & 2019 Victorian State Band Championships.
Musical Director
Broden Ford
Broden Ford is a conductor, educator, percussionist and adjudicator Melbourne, Victoria. He is heavily involved in community music and has established himself as one of Australia’s most reputable brass band conductors. Broden is currently the musical director of Whitehorse Brass, having previously conducted the City of Traralgon Band, Glenferrie Brass and the Darebin City Brass – Preston Band. He holds a successful conducting record that includes two Victorian D Grade State Championships, three Victorian C Grade State Championships, two Victorian A Grade State Championships and a 3rd place in A Grade at the Australian National Band Championships. In 2024, Broden led Whitehorse Brass to the Australian National C Grade Championship.
Broden held positions as principal percussionist at Kew Band Melbourne, Box Hill City Band, National Australia Brass, Victoria Brass and Prestige Brass. He regularly performs across Australia and overseas as a guest percussionist, including North Shore Brass (NZ) and the Desford Colliery Band (UK). He was also the head percussion tutor with the National Australia Brass Youth Band and is the current percussion tutor with Box Hill Academy Brass. He was the percussion adjudicator at the 2016 Australian National Band Championships and was also the chief band & solo adjudicator at the 2017 Tasmanian State Band Championships, the 2018 Gunnedah Eisteddfod and the 2021 Latrobe Valley Eisteddfod. In 2019, he completed the Maestros with a Mission adjudication intensive.
Broden is currently employed by Wesley College, Glen Waverley Campus, as the Head of Percussion, percussion teacher, classroom music teacher, ensemble tutor and Symphonic Band conductor. He has also maintained a connection with Melbourne Youth Orchestras, regularly working as a percussion tutor or conductor in their Ensemble Program, Summer School and Winter School events.