That is just some of the gigs on the program for 72 talented musicians from 39 ‘west of the divide’ public schools including Trangie Central School. 

They will form the fourth West of the Divide band tour, which in January next year will travel to Europe for scheduled performances in Rome, Florence, Venice, Bled and Zagreb.

The two ensembles will perform in some amazing venues and experience workshops with international maestros, school visits and workshops and in two Australian embassies, one in Rome on our arrival and one on Australia Day in Zagreb.

In Croatia they will live the culture through experiencing a vocal Clapa singing workshop. Clapa is a Croatian folk singing style.

The students are supported by an amazing team of teachers and music tutors who are professional musicians.

These teachers and tutors have been working with the ensembles in our band and vocal camps and gave freely of their time and expertise in an intensive camp preparing the music for the tour held in the last school holidays.

They will meet again for intensive rehearsals just prior to departure. Otherwise the students work in their own schools and towns to master their parts and prepare for the tour.

Their efforts will go under the spotlight in places where music is an integral part of their lifestyle and culture.

The three arts co-ordinators of West of the Divide, (Di Hall, Dianne Reichelt and Diana Alexander) believe that these opportunities give students who are educated in country towns an equity of opportunity to have amazing experiences, work with international maestros, perform in venues beyond their realm of imagination, meet and work with students from international schools and work and perform music which would not be possible in their own schools.