Layton Hodgetts OAM (Vale)
Layton Hodgetts, OAM. – BA (Mus) Monash University; Dip. Ed (Tas Uni); TTC, MACE
Layton Hodgetts is a Graduate of the School of Music, Monash University, Melbourne – Victoria, and the University of Tasmania, Hobart – Tasmania. He recently retired after a distinguished career in music education spanning the past forty years. Apart from leading rigorous and fundamental educational programs in music theory and performance, he has also been responsible for the establishment and development of numerous community and school/college-based wind band programs. Mr Hodgetts has been an active member of a number of professional music organisations including the Tasmanian Bands League – an affiliate of the National Band Council of Australia Inc. and has served as a member of the State Music Advisory Board. Mr Hodgetts was the Chairman and Convenor of the Australian National Band Championships, hosted in Hobart, Tasmania in April 2010.
He is the founding Music Director and founding Chief Conductor of the Derwent Valley Concert Band Inc. (DVCB), which, since its formation in 1993, has become nationally and internationally acclaimed. The DVCB has competed with great success – under Mr Hodgetts’ direction – at state and national levels in on-stage contests. He has led and directed the band by invitation at the following overseas events since 1993: The Mie Expo in Japan, 1994; The Calgary Exhibition and Stampede in Canada, 1997; The China International Band and Fashion Festival, 1999; The World Championships for Marching Showbands, in Potsdam – Germany, 2001; The Mid-Europe International Music Conference, in Schladming – Austria, 2001; The Eksjo Tattoo, in central Sweden, 2001; Celebrations surrounding the Royal Wedding of Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary, in Copenhagen – Denmark, 2004; and the Beijing International Band Festival, China, 2006.
In 2008, Mr Hodgetts led the DVCB on an extensive European tour where they participated and gained awards in marching and concert events in France, Belgium, Germany, and Italy. In 2012, Mr Hodgetts coordinated another extensive Band tour to Austria and Poland and maintains enduring links with the band networks in all countries who have hosted the DVCB. As a result, Mr Hodgetts has also been responsible for reciprocal visits to Tasmania by Bands from Austria, Poland, and Japan. In 2015, Mr Hodgetts coordinated the band’s ninth overseas concert tour to Spain, Italy, Germany, and Denmark.
In addition to the DVCB, Mr Hodgetts was elected as a Regional Representative for Australia and the Pacific Region on the Board for the International Youth Band being established under the auspices of the United Nations, in 2007. Also, for the past ten years Mr Hodgetts has been engaged as Guest Conductor, Clinician and Adjudicator in Australia, Malaysia, China, and Europe. Mr Hodgetts was appointed in 2009 as Artistic Director of the Australian Concert Series, held in September 2010, in the Australian Pavilion at the World Expo in Shanghai.
In 2009 Mr Hodgetts stepped aside, relinquishing the Conductor’s role in the DVCB in order to accommodate his increasing involvement in banding matters globally. Mr Hodgetts remains closely linked to the Band’s Artistic Leadership Team and still currently occupies the position of Music Director on the Band’s Management Committee. In summary, Mr Hodgetts as MD, provides high-level leadership and promotion of all the endeavours and activities of the DVCB.
Mr Hodgetts’ initiatives and contribution to Community Music and Educational Programs have been recognised with several achievement awards by each level of Government in Australia:
- 1994 Tasmania Day Citizen Award
- 1997 Australia Day Citizen Award
- 2001 Regional Arts Tasmania – Volunteer Award
- 2003 Tasmanian Quality Teaching Award (Australian College of Educators)
- 2005 Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM)
- 2006 Teacher Emeritus Award on Retirement from New Norfolk High School.
- 2008 Conductor’s Gold Medal – (European Band Championships
- 2008 Outstanding Achiever Award -Tasmanian Achievement Awards)
- 2008 Tasmania’s Local Hero (for 2009) – Australian of the Year Awards
- 2013 Awarded Life Membership with the Derwent Valley Concert Band