Join the band

Practice times
7pm- 9pm, weekly on Tuesday Mount Maunganui Sports Centre, corner Maunganui and Hull Road.

What should I expect at my first practice?
There are several percussion instruments in our samba band including drums of all sorts, bells and shakers. New members without previous experience start by learning the shaker and can if they wish change to another instrument once they have become familiar with the pieces. The Musical Director will in due course discuss options, based on your preferences and the instrument needs of the group. Instruments and accessories are provided by the Group for practices and performances.

If you enjoy playing and want to join us, then attendance at our weekly practice and at performances shows commitment to the Group.

Cost? 
There is no charge for your first two sessions. However, should you decide to join us our membership is for one year. A one-off annual subscription is $100. Alternatively you can pay $10, month by month (no minimum term), only by direct debit. 

What shall I bring? 
Practices indoors are noisy. We recommend you bring earplugs with you. If you forget we have some ear defenders you can borrow. Also bring some water.

Performances:
We play both at charity and paid performances throughout the year. The paid performances enable us to buy instruments and materials to make costumes. Some important performances require a certain level of experience and knowledge of the songs, breaks and movements. For this reason, a decision will be made whether a gig is open to experienced players only or everyone. The Musical Director will decide when you have reached a sufficient standard to be able to play in all our gigs. Until then less experienced players may be invited to play only at certain events.

Uniforms and Costumes:
There are moderate costs associated with our uniform. We custom make costumes for some gigs and at others, we use our “uniform” which includes a Tauranga Samba tee shirt. Generally, the cost of special costumes are absorbed by the Group and many of our members will be involved with making the costumes to keep costs down. For performances where we wear our uniform, you will be asked to contribute to the cost of the tee-shirt and possibly also hat/cap.

Communication:
We use “Messenger” to liaise quickly in real-time about performances, changes to venues, practice, or general business.

Public Facebook page:
Find us here! There is also a private closed group for members.