After a week of rehearsals, the 50th year of the Harrietville Music Camp (HMC) came to a successful conclusion, as both the Big Band and Showcase concerts held on Friday 16 and Saturday, 17 January, drew in dozens of music lovers from around the region.

HMC musical director, Gerald Keuneman OAM, said this year's camp was terrific, with a great standard of performance all around.

“It’s been an excellent camp," he said.

"It's amazing what can be achieved in five or six days.

"Our Big Band performance, which we put on in-house this year, was fantastic and around 50 people came along to listen to it.

"The people in Harrietville we stayed with, Noel and Fiona who run Mountain View Holiday Retreat, were so good.

"Their staff really helped us with everything: to set up and pull down all the different halls."

As part of the 50-year celebrations, Mr Keuneman invited one of the camp's life-long musicians, Willow Woodman, to compose a piece (titled Harrietville Suite) for the HMC's attendees to perform at the Showcase concert held in Bright's Community Centre.

“I hope they really enjoy Willow’s piece, because it’s really been inspired by him coming up here every year," Mr Keuneman said.

"He captured the atmosphere of the area and of the camp very, very well.

“The four movements which are all very nice and different in character; 'Landscape', 'Celebration', 'Riverside' and 'Harrietville', each have a different sound.

“Overall, I think there’s a lot of great variety in the concert."

This year's 85 participating musicians were largely made up of returning camp attendees.

Ginger Martin, who has played the clarinet for 56 years, said a couple of friends first told her about the camp.

"They told me I had to join," she said.

"That was 15 years ago and I've returned each year ever since.

"I come back for the camaraderie and making great music with others.

"I really enjoy it, it's like a family.

"This year, the 'Harrietville Suite' has been particularly beautiful to play; it's challenging, exciting and very fun."

Mr Keuneman concluded the Showcase Concert by thanking the approximately 70 audience members and invited them back next year.