Pilbara music festival celebrates 45 years

For 45 years the Pilbara Music Festival has united locals across the region in song and will once again delight audiences in Hedland next month following a COVID-19 hiatus. Established in 1976 by Doris Devil and Colleen Digby, the festival welcomes judges and professionals from across the State to celebrate music with students across primary and secondary schools through performances and examinations. The eisteddfod-style competition aimed to offer an outlet for “musically minded” students who did not have the same opportunities as their metropolitan counterparts. Hedland Music Festival co-ordinator and councillor Jan Gillingham said the arts was vital in regional communities and the week offered young people a chance to grow as entertainers. “The enjoyment of music brings people together. “If we didn't have music I don’t know how our world would be — it gives a soul to the universe,” she said. “It’s been known over the years as the friendly festival because if you make a mistake, you make a mistake...everybody makes mistakes but it is the way you (recover) and present on the stage. “It’s lovely each time the adjudicator comes here they praise the students... and that’s exactly what the students want to achieve. We want to give the students a chance to express their excellence and strive for excellence.” Since the 70s the festival has grown from a three-hour competition to a seven-day event involving local schools, art collectives and musicians. Ms Gillingham said though the transient nature of the Pilbara made it hard to retain music staff, education in the arts was vital for regional students and she hoped to see the festival continue.