Fanfare

The Annual WindWorx Fanfare!

The WindWorx Fanfare was launched in 2011 and has since grown to the biggest wind band festival in the country with about 750 musicians attending each year in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

The event runs over two days with an opening concert on the first night where the WindWorx Symphonic Wind Ensemble and other invited wind bands will perform. We have, over the years, been very fortunate to have the SA Navy and Army Bands (Western Cape), Johannesburg Youth Symphonic Wind Band, Cape Philharmonic Youth Wind Ensemble, Concordia University Wind Symphony (Chicago) and the Star of the North Concert Band (Minnesota) perform at this event.

Band Evaluations

The main focus of the Fanfare is the evaluation of wind, brass and jazz bands by highly regarded adjudicators over the years including the late Sean Kierman, Pamela Kierman, John Rojas, Gareth Williams, Mervyn Solomon, Nick Green, Laurika Steenkamp, Kenny Leibbrandt, Liam Burden, Felicia Lesch, Allistair McDonald, Corvin Matei, Faan Malan, Vernon Michells, John Hargreaves and Phil Golson.

It is important to note that the event is not a competition. Instead, evaluations are confidential, sealed and provided solely for personal growth.

In addition to the formal evaluations, the event offers an informal platform for performances that enrich the experience for attending fans. The festival concludes with a grand finale featuring the presentation of certificates, a concert showcasing additional invited bands, and the highly anticipated massed band, a collective ensemble comprised of hundreds of dedicated musicians.

Fanfare 2026 – a Resounding Success!

The 14th WindWorx Fanfare was a resounding success, with almost 700 young musicians participating at Durbanville High School on 15 and 16 May.

Over the two days, 20 bands were assessed by our esteemed adjudicators, Pamela Kierman, Bridget Rennie-Salonen and Brendan Kierman. Formal concerts and informal performances entertained hundreds of festival-goers, creating a vibrant atmosphere throughout the event. We were delighted to welcome a strong contingent from the Eastern Cape in support of the band from Grey Junior School, and we were equally pleased to host our first Christmas Band entry, Star of Glad Tidings.

Feedback from the adjudicators was overwhelmingly positive, while participants and audience members alike expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to be part of such a special celebration of wind band music. The opening concert on 15 May included the WindWorx under direction of Pamela Kierman with Domus by Jan van der Roost and the Magnificent Seven by Elmer Bernstein, and Kenny Leibbrandt with Concerto D’Amore by Jacob de Haan and Euphonium Rhapsody by James Curnow featuring Russel Davies on euphonium. Both concerts on 15 and 16 May featured some of the festival’s participating bands and ended with the popular massed bands conducted by Etienne Mecloen, Levi Alexander and Riaan van Wyk.

We extend our sincere thanks to everyone who contributed to the success of the event, including Durbanville High School and its organising team, the institutions that provided additional percussion instruments and logistical support, and our sponsors, the Mzansi National Philharmonic Orchestra and Bothners Music.

We are excited to announce that the festival will continue next year at South African College Schools (SACS), and we look forward to welcoming even more young musicians, educators and supporters to this growing celebration of music-making.