Bega District Band members Jamie Parker-Barnes, 12, his mum Christina Barnes, and Dave Moore are counting down the days before they head off an a whirlwind concert tour of Singapore and Europe.
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The three musicians will take part in the tour as members of the Eastern Australia Brass band. They have been attending rehearsals in Canberra along with other band members from as far away as Tasmania, Melbourne and Sydney.
Jamie plays a tenor horn, Ms Barnes a cornet and Mr Moore a baritone euphonium, with Eastern Australia Brass comprising both amateur and professional musicians.
The touring band is set to depart mid September. First stopping in Singapore before heading to Europe, for a series of performances at significant historical sites throughout Germany and Belgium, including joining the Last Post service at the Menin Gate in Ypres.
The tour will conclude in Paris where the band will take part in a ceremony at the iconic Arc de Triomphe.
“This is the first time that an Australian band has been invited to participate in the European Brass and Wind Band Festival, so it is huge privilege for us to take part,” Ms Barnes said.
Limited by a tight financial situation, Ms Barnes has been reaching out for help to make an otherwise impossible journey a reality.
“We have been so lucky to have received several scholarships and grants which have helped enormously, and we are grateful to every single person and business that has given to us,” Ms Barnes said.
“We are still looking for ways to raise enough money to make final payments on our flights and accommodation, pay for travel insurance, insurance on our instruments, and uniform.
“On top of that, I need to make sure my growing 12-year-old has plenty to eat while he is travelling.”
If you would like to help the musicians with a donation, no matter how big or small, you can find them busking in Bega’s Ayres Walkway most mornings, or you can contact Christina Barnes by phoning 0449 976 203 or email: chrisjparkerbarnes@gmail.com