Liam McNally
Star Weekly is taking a look back at 2023. Here’s one of our biggest stories from last year.
Acclaimed musician, and Caroline Springs School of Music founder and principal Brendan Hains is playing one final show at Marian College on April 30 before he retires from gigging.
Hains is an acclaimed guitarist who, after picking up the instrument at age seven, has been refining his expertise for almost fifty years.
His career was kickstarted in the late 1980s when he attended Guitar Craft courses overseas with legendary King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp, and has always been drawn to a style influenced by jazz and progressive music.
In the years that followed, Hains said some of his biggest achievements were launching his solo album at Melbourne Town Hall in 2007, and being invited to play in Fiji with master musician Nathan East in 2017.
Hains is performing his final show with teachers from his music school who he said are “some of the best” he’s ever played with.
“We’re doing fun rock songs with improvised and extended guitar sections…it’s been a lot of fun. Almost to the point where I don’t want to quit, but not quite.
“I feel like my playing is at a really good level at the moment and I’d just like to go out while it’s still good… I’m happy with what I’ve achieved, and I’m happy to call it a day.”
Hains said he’s happy to give up the performances and focus the “thriving” music school.
“I really enjoy seeing all the kids improving, we’ve produced a lot of professional musicians ourselves at the school and a lot of them have gone on to be teachers and great players and it’s just so satisfying,” he said.
“They’ll be wheeling me out of here when I’m 100 years old I reckon.”
