The history of Tauranga City Brass
Early foundations
Tauranga’s brass band tradition stretches back more than 140 years, beginning with the formation of the Tauranga Brass Band in 1880. By 1881 the band was performing publicly around the town, and over the following decades it became an important part of Tauranga’s community life.
The early years were not always easy. Like many community bands of the time, the band experienced periods of growth, decline and revival. It was reorganised several times as musicians came and went, instruments needed replacing and the demands of work, war and family life took their toll. Yet each time, Tauranga musicians and supporters found a way to bring the band back to life.
Band Rotonda in the Tauranga Domain (pictured)
The first photograph
One of the earliest surviving photographs (right) of the Tauranga Brass Band dates from around 1891. Taken by photographer and cornet player F.E. Stewart, it captures the band during one of these early revivals. Stewart himself was part of the band's story, helping bandmaster George Arnold Ward organise and train the musicians. When Stewart left Tauranga later that year, the band presented him with a soprano cornet in recognition of his contribution.
The Forester's Hall era
As Tauranga grew, so did its banding tradition. The band became known as the Tauranga Municipal Band, serving the town through concerts, civic occasions, parades and community events. It continued through further periods of rebuilding, including the difficult years surrounding the First World War, when many musicians left for military service.
For many decades, the heart of the band's community operations was Foresters' Hall. Originally constructed in 1908 on Spring Street for the Foresters' Lodge, the building was later acquired by the Borough Council. From 1952 onwards, it served as the dedicated rehearsal space and bandroom for the Tauranga Brass Band before the building was eventually relocated to the Historic Village in 1989.
By the mid-20th century, Tauranga was a booming region with an active musical landscape that regularly featured two distinct ensembles.
- The Tauranga Municipal Band (later known as the Tauranga City Silver Band).
- The Tauranga Fire Brigade Brass Band, which famously rehearsed in a local hall on Yatton Street near Pemberton Park until the hall caught fire around 1968.
Following the fire, a purpose-built facility was constructed just down the road at 10 Yatton Street, Greerton. When the local brass bands amalgamated years later, this rebuilt facility became the permanent headquarters for the modern-day Tauranga City Brass. The band is still actively practicing out of this location.
Amalgamation to today
In 2017, two strands of Tauranga’s more recent brass history came together when Tauranga Brass and Tauranga City Silver Brass amalgamated to form Tauranga City Brass. The new band brought together generations of musicians and many years of experience, creating a new chapter while retaining the heritage of those who had played before them.
Today, Tauranga City Brass carries that tradition forward as a B Grade community brass band, balancing contesting with concerts, civic occasions, commemorations and community performances.
From the musicians who gathered in Tauranga in 1880 to the players who perform today, the story has always been about more than music. It is a story of community, friendship and generations of people coming together to make music.
The names, uniforms and faces have changed over more than a century, but the sound of brass in Tauranga continues.