Charles Darwin University music students Micah Rothwell and Elsie Lange have been invited to perform at the BASSINTHEGRASS music festival following their success in the Battle of the School Bands final in Darwin on Friday 13 April.
Micah and Elsie, both studying Certificate III in Music at Alice Springs campus, combined their talents as “Elcah Rane” to win the category for soloists and duos. The prize for winning Battle of the School Bands included an invitation to play at BASSINTHEGRASS in Darwin on 26 May.
Alice Springs campus Contemporary Music lecturer Cain Gilmour, who watched the duo perform at The Big Gig concert at the Darwin Museum Amphitheatre on Friday, said they were the first Alice Springs student musicians to have won a Battle of the School Bands final.
He said they performed two original songs “As a Rose” and “Bring You Down”.
“They produced strong sounds and good harmonies and rocked both the judges and the crowd.
“So impressive were they that one of the judges invited them to perform a set of original solo numbers at a Darwin restaurant on Friday night.
“They are extremely excited about the prospect of playing alongside The Hilltop Hoods, The Jezabels and others, and are now busily writing fresh material for their 15-minute slot at BASS.”
Mr Gilmour said the Alice Springs student band The FootKnuckles came third in the band category.
“They acquitted themselves very well performing two original songs and were a bit unlucky to have missed out to some other talented young musicians.”
Mr Gilmour said Battle of the School Bands was an ideal environment for young musicians to put into practice the skills they had developed through their vocational education and training studies.
“Five of the six Alice Springs performers are studying music through CDU and were assessed for various competencies such as performance, professionalism and working as an ensemble group.”
The Central Australian finalists were:
Duo – Elcah Rane (Lange and Rothwell from CDU / Centralian Senior Secondary College)
Band – The FootKnuckles (Patrick Kavanagh, Chaz Sisko and Rothwell, (Centralian Senior Secondary College), Danny Phillips and Clay Zimmerman (St Philips College).