Buzzing Brass Wellington

Barbara Paterson Musician the band’s very own Dalek Whisper

🐝 National Championships Highlights:

The 2026 National Brass Band Championships right here in Wellington was a landmark weekend for B*W. From sci-fi spectacles to podium finishes, the "Bees" showed the heart and hustle that makes this band so special!

Here are some highlights:

Youth Grade Performance: A Sci-Fi Spectacle
Our entry, "On Wings of Glory: The Temporal Labyrinth," took the stage by storm!
• The Dalek: A huge shout-out to Buzz for building our full-scale Dalek, and to Aedan for his incredible versatility playing Icarus AND operating the Dalek with menacing precision!
• Special Guest: We were honored to have former principal cornet Hugo Carter return for a stunning rendition of Share My Yoke, opened by a beautiful euphonium duet.
• The Finale: The crowd loved seeing the band collectively push the Dalek off-stage in a massive explosion of smoke!

D Grade: The "Band on the Rise"
In just nine months, B*W has jumped from the bottom of the table in 2025 to a highly respectable 4th place overall (out of 8 bands).
• Set Piece (Elegy): 2nd Place 🥈
• Stage March: 3rd Place 🥉
A huge testament to the dedication of our players and teachers!

Solo & Ensemble: The Busy Bees
With 14 entries across the weekend, our members were everywhere! Highlights include:
• Lucas Zhao: 2nd Junior Champion of Champions appearance!
• Mika Hayashi: 2nd in Junior Bass 🥈
• Ben Cookson: 2nd in U15 Group 1 & U15 Slow Melody 🥈
• Oliver Frost: 2nd in U15 Group 2 & 3rd in U15 Slow Melody 🥉
• Jack McDougall & Oliver Frost: 2nd in Junior Duet as the "Super Mario Brothers" 🍄
• Beeginner Band: A massive well done on your first-ever contest debut!
• MD Buzz: Led from the front with a perfect 100% score in Open Euphonium, then taking home his first Champion of Champions title!

From "exterminating" Daleks to the soulful notes of Elegy, it’s been a massive journey of improvement. The future for Buzzing Brass Wellington is looking exceptionally bright!

*W

Dalek Mega comes to life on stage!

✂️ Dalek Mega comes alive 36 seconds · Clipped by Buzzing Brass · Original video "DALEKS IN ANCIENT GREECE?! On Wings of Glory | Buzzing Brass Wellington | 2026 National Champs" by B...

What happens when you mix a brass band, ancient Greek myths, and a full-scale Dalek? 🤖🎺
Check out our Youth Grade performance from the 2026 Nationals! Featuring a "Time Lord" appearance and the best Dalek exit in contest history. 🔥
Full video:

DALEKS IN ANCIENT GREECE?! On Wings of Glory | Buzzing Brass Wellington | 2026 National Champs Witness the theatrical Youth Grade performance of Buzzing Brass Wellington at the 2026 National Brass Band Championships in Wellington!"On Wings of Glory: Th...

Mega and Edith ready for battle in the Youth Grade

NSSBB Applications for the 2026 National Secondary Schools' Brass Band are now open.

Buzzing Brass Wellington had a great time performing at Welly Wonderland last Sunday. 🎺✨
Awesome to play in a packed Michael Fowler Centre alongside Wellington Brass Band and Signature Choir. 🎄💛

Photo credit: Daisuke Hayashi

🎉 Black Friday Special – Welly Wonderland! 🎉

Don’t miss out on Wellington’s most magical Christmas showcase ✨

Get your ticket to ‘Welly Wonderland’ for just $25 🤩 tickets are limited so get in quick! This sale is only open for the weekend ✨

📅 Sunday 7 December
⏰ 3PM
📍 Michael Fowler Centre
🔗 Get your tickets here! - https://www.ticketmaster.co.nz/event/24006350B3E23300