Therese Hayden was presented with her life membership and commemorative plaque on 16th November, 2013. The following is a copy of the speech given at her endorsement:
Our First Baritone player Therese started playing Euphonium at Mayfield West Primary School when she was just ten years old. That same year, 1976, she joined Waratah-Mayfield Brass Band. She continued to play Euphonium for many years before she switched to Baritone around 2006.
As you will hear today, Therese is a exceptional musician to whom music comes naturally. Of course, she works very hard to see her great talent thrive.
Not only does she share this amazing talent with us at Waratah Brass but she is also sharing her immense knowledge, experience and enthusiasm with a whole new generation of musicians as the Musical Director of the Waratah Brass Training Band. She is a wonderful leader and role model for these up and coming (mostly) youngsters and by providing a happy and relaxed learning environment, she is shaping their musical life for years to come.
Her talents also reach behind the scenes of banding where she is absolutely indespensible. Always willing, in fact even eager, to spend her time volunteering at fundraising activities as well as taking care of the multitude of tasks necessary to ensure the smooth running of our organization.
Therese’s dedication to the band is almost legendary. She rarely, if ever, misses a rehearsal, concert or any kind of band event. There are even times when she has driven hundreds of kilometers to be at rehearsal. But the best example of her dedication is a story I heard recently. Apparently one night at the end of band practice, heavily pregnant with her second child, she said to Ron Prussing, “OK, I’m off to the hospital now”… it turns out that she had been in labour throughout the entire rehearsal without saying anything, she just kept playing. Her son was born that night and she, of course, was back at band practice the following week.
We are blessed to have shared more than thirty two years of her life with her and today on behalf of the members, committee and supporters of Waratah Brass it gives me great pride and pleasure to endorse Therese Hayden as a Life Member of Waratah Brass.