Kristy Rowe wins the Ern Keller International Brass Musician of the Year for 2005.

21 year baritone player, Kristy Rowe, from Gunnedah in New South Wales is this years winner of the Ern Keller International Brass Musician of the Year.  Champion of Champions from each State of Australia, New Zealand, and the British Open Champion again contested this prestigous event in the St Marys Band Club, Sydney, Australia.  Playing Rangitoto by Goff Richards (written for Riki McDonnell), Kristy got the nod from adjudicator Peter Luff, Head of Brass at the Queensland Conservatorium.  Howard Taylor who was in the audience for all performances reported that "Kristy, right from the opening phrases, demonstrated superb musical control, excellent dynamic contrast, and a beautiful sound." Kristy's win was extremely well received by the audience and fellow competitors, with not a dry eye in the auditorium! This win gives Kristy automatic entry into the British Open Soloist final held later in the year, and St Marys’ Band Club will fund Kristy’s trip for this event.

Other performers included Joe Cook on Euphonium representing Tasmania. Joe chose to play Concert Fantasie (Cords) and was, as usual, technically brilliant; Rob Kavanagh from South Australia on Tenor Horn also played Concert Fantasie and played with conviction; Alex Thomas on Bb Cornet from the UK played a very stylish performance of Brandt's Concertstuk; Paul de Cinque on Flugel horn from Western Australia gave a solid rendition of Himes Concertino for Flugel; National Champion Mark Fitzpatrick played a very musical performance of Variations on a Welsh Theme on Soprano; Christina Bowden from Victoria on Bb cornet played Anna Karenina and showed many moments of class playing; Euphonium player and Queensland representative Andre Carperter gave an admirable performance of the very difficult Zigeunerweisen (Mendez), and last but by no means least was New Zealand's Champion of Champions, David Chaulk who, as we have come to expect, gave an extremely musically sensitive performance of Andante and Allegro.

Later in the day, Waratah Brass from Newcastle, New South Wales won both the quartet and the band events in typically convincing fashion.