Two thousand young musicians from all over the world will march to the same beat for the first time when they come together as the Sydney 2000 Olympic Marching Band in just a few weeks.

Band musicians from across Australia and around the globe will start descending on the city of Bathurst from the end of August to begin intensive rehearsals for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

The musicians will take over the Bathurst Campus of Charles Sturt University for two weeks before their performance at the opening ceremony on 15 September.

Bathurst has gained the nickname "BandTown" as the city readies itself for the influx of musicians from Australia, the United States, Japan and 17 other countries.

The musicians, aged between 14 and 25, will be staying in campus accommodation as well as at private schools and other accommodation.

The Australian band contingent will be in Bathurst for the arrival of the Olympic Flame on 2 September and will lead a procession through the city's streets before assembling at the main celebration site outside the Bathurst Courthouse.

The band will travel to Sydney several times for rehearsals, including a full dress rehearsal several days before the opening ceremony.

To assist visiting accredited international and national media with information about the Marching Band, Bathurst City Council and CSU will jointly run a media centre at the Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre from 30 August to 15 September.

The contact at the media centre will be Peter Austin, Tourism Manager with Bathurst City Council on (02) 6332 1444.