Warrant Officer Ian Waddell returned home with the Royal Australian Air Force Band last weekend, performing to large crowds for the biennial Hunter Valley Air Show at Cessnock airfield.
Warrant Officer Waddell, a saxophonist and Warrant Officer in Charge of the band's Sydney detachment, grew up in East Maitland in the Hunter Valley and joined the band at RAAF Base Richmond in 1993.
"Maitland was a good place to grow up, being not too far from the 'big smoke' of Newcastle and the beauty of the coast and beaches," Warrant Officer Waddell said.
"One of the main things that developed my love for music was participating in a combined high school band, which is now known as 'The Marching Koalas'.
"When I was in Year 8 we did an exchange with an award-winning high school marching band from one of Newcastle's sister cities, Arcadia in Los Angeles, United States. We travelled there in 1983 to play a number of concerts, including at Disneyland.
"I was also fortunate that Maitland Boys' High School had a good music program and dedicated teachers, which encouraged me to follow music as a career."
'Performing at the Hunter Valley Air Show was very enjoyable. The crowd was very receptive and we loved seeing the variety of aircraft on display and flying at the air show.'
Warrant Officer Waddell served 20 years in the Air Force as a full-time musician, before transferring to the reserves and continuing in a part-time capacity.
In this time he travelled around Australia and the world, with highlights including performing for deployed troops in East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan, and at the official Anzac Day services at Gallipoli.
Closer to home, the Hunter Valley Air show was an opportunity for Warrant Officer Waddell to return to his old stomping ground.
"I really like coming back to the Hunter Valley; it still feels like home after all these years when I visit. My parents still live in East Maitland," he said.
"I love it when people I know appear out of the blue to say hello when we are performing at events in the Hunter Valley.
"Performing at the Hunter Valley Air Show was very enjoyable. The crowd was very receptive and we loved seeing the variety of aircraft on display and flying at the air show."
Conducted by Paul Bennet Air Shows every two years at Cessnock airfield, this year's show attracted thousands of visitors across the weekend.
