Mr. Darryn Wright
Music Director - Southern Area Concert Band Family
Conductor - Southern Area Concert Band
Leader - Southern Stars Stage Band
Assistant Conductor - Southern Area Training Band
Conductor - Southern Area Events Band

Darryn Wright joined Southern Area Concert Band in 1997 playing alto saxophone and took on the role of President in 1998.  He held this position until taking over the role of the band's Music Director in 2006 following Craig Seymour's retirement.

Darryn has been playing music (keyboard) since the age of 5, with his first public performance not long thereafter.  He learned flute during his years at high school and was appointed full time church organist at his local church in Penguin, Tasmania, at the age of 17, a position which he held until moving away from the area in 1986.  After leaving Penguin, Darryn was involved in a number of various sized musical and vocal groups within the Uniting Church, culminating in taking on the role of conductor and Music Director of the Glen Waverley Uniting Church Orchestra from 2002 to 2006.

During his time at Southern Area, Darryn has played alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, flute and percussion, and has recently taken up clarinet and bass clarinet in the Southern Area Training Band.

Other than for the band, Darryn's passion lies in Musical Theatre and he has been Music Director for several school and amateur theatre company productions including Crazy for You, Anything Goes, Beauty and the Beast, Man of La Mancha, The Wiz and Westside Story.

Since moving to Melbourne 1996, Darryn has also performed with numerous instrumental and vocal ensembles around Melbourne, including the Savoy Opera Company and Free Spirit, and has served on the executive of the National and Victorian branches of The Australian Band and Orchestra Directors' Association.

When not playing, rehearsing, organising or performing for one of the bands, Darryn may be seen flying around the skies in a light plane, or somewhere in Australia carrying out his day-time job as the Electrical Design and Commissioning Manager for a national engineering company.

Miss Nicole Marshall
Conductor - Southern Area Training Band
Assistant Leader - Southern Stars Stage Band
Assistant Conductor - Southern Area Concert Band

Nicole Marshall joined the Southern Area family as a member of the Training Band in 2007 as a young alto saxophone player.  Nicole is an accomplished musician playing multiple instruments from brass and woodwind to percussion, but specializing in saxophone and trumpet.

Nicole was appointed to the role of Assistant leader of the Southern Stars Stage Band in mid 2014, and led the band for 18 months.  She was then appointed to the position of co-conductor of the Southern Area Training Band at the beginning of 2015, and  was appointed to the position of Assistant Conductor of Southern Area Concert Band around the same time.

Nicole's professional music accomplishments include the achievement of VCE music alongside eight AMEB musical examinations with credits and honours, and currently plays in various stage and funk bands across Melbourne.  Nicole's preferred gig is to play in the pit of musical theatre productions, and has been involved with productions of 42^nd Street, Oklahoma, Return to the Forbidden Planet and Wizard of Oz.

Although Nicole's passion stays with playing, teaching and directing music, she maintains a professional career as a registered nurse and aspires to become a paramedic who still has time to play and teach music professionally in Australia and around the world.

Miss Jacinta Ewers
Conductor - Southern Area Training Band
Assistant Conductor - Southern Area Concert Band

Jacinta Ewers joined the Southern Area Concert Band in 2014 as a French horn player and was appointed as co-leader of the Southern Area Training Band in 2015.

Jacinta is a well accomplished performer and has been working professionally in the arts since 2012.  Commencing with a Bachelor or Music (classical brass), Jacinta completed a post graduate diploma in Arts and Cultural Management, leading to a successful career with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, The Australian Youth Orchestra, and currently at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

With her past experiences directing the Onkapringa City Training Band for three years in her home state of South Australia, and having acted as interim orchestra manager for the Elder Conservatorium Wind Orchestra, Jacinta has extensive experience in the development of young bands.

Jacinta has a wide range of performing experience playing French horn, trumpet and piano, and has played with various ensembles including the Queensland Wind Orchestra, Adelaide Youth Orchestra, and Elder Conservatorium Wind and Symphony orchestras.  Jacinta is a passionate musician with a strong drive for shaping young musicians.