General News
21 March, 2025
Passing the baton
AFTER seven years with the Ararat City Band, Bruno Andrade has officially stepped away from his role as conductor, leaving behind a legacy of dedication and success.
AFTER seven years with the Ararat City Band, Bruno Andrade has officially stepped away from his role as conductor, leaving behind a legacy of dedication and success.
Bruno first arrived in Ararat seven years ago and spent four years as a playing member before stepping up to conduct the band for the past three years.
“I used to come up before and help out the band when I was living in Melbourne, so I’ve known the band for close to ten years,” Bruno said.
However, at the end of last year, he made the difficult decision to leave Ararat to be closer to family and for work commitments.
“I had all intentions of staying with the band, but my work hours changed, so I couldn’t conduct rehearsals on Mondays anymore.”
While stepping away from regular involvement, Bruno remains open to returning as a guest player.
“If they ever need a player for an event or anything like that and they need me then I am definitely happy to help,” he said.
During his tenure, Bruno helped the band achieve remarkable success, including winning state championships.
“Winning state championships in D grade and running the brass festival and participating in it has been two of the highlights,” he said.
Taking over as conductor is Wade Carmen, who officially picked up the baton earlier this month.
“It’s really good, he has way more experience than I do conducting ensembles and bands, so I can’t wait to hear what he brings to the band.”
Bruno is confident the band is in good hands.
“He’ll bring his unique flair, so they’ll easily forget me and concentrate on Wade, but I will miss the town.”
One of the greatest joys of conducting, Bruno said, was seeing the town’s appreciation for the band.
“The town loves the band. It’s been really good being in front of the band and then walking down the street and being recognised and given compliments after events like Anzac Day or Australia Day.”
While he’s the one receiving the praise, Bruno insists it’s the players who deserve the credit.
“Just makes me so proud that they've put in the hard work. Ultimately, I get the praise because I stand in front and wave my arms, but no one really sees the hard work that each individual player puts in,” said Bruno.
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