Canadian Staff Band Visit to Belleville

On 1–2 October 2005, the Canadian Staff Band (Bandmaster Kevin Hayward) began their 2005–2006 season with a journey to the Quinte Bay region of Ontario for a weekend at Belleville Citadel. After arriving and setting up for the evening concert, the band was treated to a dinner with Citadel members. Also attending were Mayor Mary-Anne Sills and MP Daryl Kramp, representing the city and the surrounding region.

A capacity crowd filled the hall for the evening festival, due to the diligent work of the Citadel in preparing for the weekend. The band began with The Great Celebration (Andrew Blyth). Other band items in the first half included Hillcrest (Bruce Broughton), Joy Dance (David Ayma), and Gaelforce (Peter Graham). Soloists Steve Brown (cornet) and Noel Samuels (tuba) contributed Joshua Swings the Battle (Stephen Bulla) and Flight of the Bumblebee respectively. The Belleville Citadel Songsters added contrast to the program with two vocal items, This Kingdom and Somebody Prayed for Me.

The second half of the concert started with Stephen Bulla's march Montclair Citadel. Another soloist was then featured, Dave Pavey, who played the classic euphonium solo Grandfather's Clock. This was followed by an appreciation of Belleville Citadel bandmaster Dave Pearson, who was acknowledged for many years of service and invited to conduct the Staff Band in Norman Audoire's classic march Montreal Citadel. The Belleville Ladies Trio brought the concert into a devotional mood, leading into the Staff Band's rendition of another great classic of the Salvation Army brass band repertoire, Eric Ball's Songs in Exile. The Staff Band's Executive Officer, Lt.‑Colonel Bill Wilson, brought a devotional message, after which the band concluded the concert with Glorifico Aeternum (Dean Jones).

As well as being the first Staff Band performance of the season, the evening festival at Belleville Citadel marked the debut performances for four new members of the band [article], including Ron Pearson and Valerie Moreton, who participated with interview-style personal testimonies during the concert.

The Staff Band's efforts in Belleville continued on Sunday morning, as several members participated in the morning worship service, including the main message by Lt.‑Col. Wilson. The band contributed to the meeting, playing Become Aware of Him (Robert Redhead) and singing Shine On Us.

In the afternoon, the Staff Band again performed, this time joined with the Hastings and Prince Edward Children's Chorus, directed by Rudolf Heidjens. The chorus is composed of high school students, and performed items such as Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring and I Never Saw Another Butterfly (Charles Davidson), a setting of a poem by a young boy who died at the Terezin concentration camp during the Holocaust. Items from the band in the afternoon session included God's Country (William Gordon), Island Dreams, and Winchester Revival (Kenneth Downie). Following the presentation of a devotional message, the trombone section was featured in From That Sacred Hill and the concert was concluded with selected portions of Variations on Maccabeus (Kevin Norbury).

Source:
Canadian Staff Band web site

Posted by Webmaster 20 October 2005 12:55:42