The KBB Music Festival -

The KBB music festival celebrates the many young talented individuals and groups in a 6
day long festival which showcases schools around Auckland. From Philharmonic
Orchestras to Jazz bands there is a song in one of the many programs for everyone.
Beginning in 1985, the festival has been running for 34 years and has grown to see over
4,500 students from 145 different groups. The 4 different types of groups are concert
bands, stage bands, symphony orchestras and chamber orchestras. The KBB music
festival continues to grow in size, variety and reputation each year with a dedicated
committee of volunteers from several secondary schools and other musical figures in the
community from across Auckland.

Some schools begin practises for this festival at the beginning of the school year
meanwhile others have this festival alongside others that they will perform in. Some
schools even have multiple groups that perform in multiple categories in the festival,
from the concert bands, to the stage bands to the honours bands for the older performing
musicians. From its small beginnings as the Auckland Secondary Schools Band and
Orchestra Festival, this festival began with only a few schools attending, now it has over
130 groups from more than 50 schools in regular attendance.

This festival is significant in New Zealand because it is treated as a stepping stone for
many young high school musicians as they embark on the beginning of their musical
careers. Not only that but the judges themselves are all well known New Zealand
musicians and so they are also able to scout out new talent and see where music is
continuing as the world keeps spinning.