With players churning out the likes of the Game of Thrones soundtrack and Pharrell Williams’ Happy, the Ballarat Memorial Concert Band is more relevant than ever.

It’s also seeking new members, with newly-appointed musical director Wade Carman planning to target school-aged kids to get them in before they get distracted with the vicissitudes of life.

However, he reinforced that anyone of any age or ability was welcome, with the extra benefit that the band would provide free tuition and minimal instrument hire fees.

With a tuba costing about $26,000, it’s a deal to be reckoned with.

Mr Carman said interest in brass bands – and music in general – was declining.

“I suppose with the community at large, interest in all forms of music have declined. The government in Victoria doesn’t put as much focus on arts education so it’s harder to get people in,” he said.

Mr Carman said he was planning to visit Ballarat schools in the coming months and perform some mini-demonstrations and show how the instruments work.

“With the idea of a development band, players wouldn’t need any experience. Hopefully we can get donations of instruments, and the idea is we’d provide tuition and instrument hire at a low rate to potential members,” he said.

“We’ve got a few younger ones coming now, but we find the older secondary college kids get busy workloads and can’t commit as much as they’d like to. So the aim is to go for the younger people, around 10.

“At the moment our youngest member is eight and the oldest could be possibly in their 70s.”

Mr Carman said there were plenty of benefits being involved in a brass band.

“You meet new people and you potentially go on tours across Victoria and go to places you’ve never gone before,” he said.

“It’s mostly about the camaraderie, I suppose, and being with people that enjoy the same things you do.”

Trombones, saxophones, brass instruments and even bass guitars are some of the instruments featured.

The band’s first rehearsal for the year will be on February 3, with anyone interested in joining encouraged to visit www.ballaratconcertband.org.au