Eastern Australia Brass
L'Orchestre de Cuivres d'Amiens visited Australia in 2001. On the occasion of this memorable first tour an invitation was made to the Australian hosts to make a return visit with the aim of further strengthening the warm links between peoples through sharing the joy of playing quality brass band music together. Eastern Australia Brass (EAB) was formed specifically to respond to the invitation which resulted in a tour of Northern France in 2005 (Somme, Nord/Pas de Calais).
In 2011, L'Orchestre de Cuivres d'Amiens again travelled to the other side of the world to participate in the Australian Brass Band Championships, meeting up again with the former hosts.
2018: Singapore, Germany, Belgium & France
Four years later, Eastern Australia Brass returned to Belgium & France with additional performances in Singapore and Germany. EAB kicked off the tour in Singapore with thhe Lion City Brass Band before flying to Germany to pariticipate at the 21st European Brass and Wind Band Festival, the first Australian Band to do so.
Kevin Knapp led EAB which included musicians from Bega District Band, Canberra Brass, City of Greater Bendigo Brass Band, Darebin City Brass, Gelnorchy City Concert Brass, Sapphire Coast Concert Band, Toronto Brass and the Willoughby Band.
2014: Belgium & France
Eastern Australia Brass returned to the North of France in 2014 under the direction of Viv Martin, which was very significant given 2014 marked the centenary of the start of the First World War. Like many Australians, several of the band members have a special connection with the north of France and Belgium due to members of their family having served in this region during the Great War. As in 2005, the musicians come from the Eastern Australia states of New South Wales, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory.