Kettering Citadel Joins Gloucester for Annual Weekend

The Gloucester Salvation Army had its annual Band Weekend on 1 – 2 April 2006, with the Kettering Citadel Band (Bandmaster Richard Phillips) as special guests for a concert on Saturday evening.

The band began the festival with St. Francis, followed by congregational participation in the song “Who Is On the Lord's Side?” and words of welcome from Gloucester Bandmaster Clifford Matthews. Other items in the first half of the program included Marche Militaire Francais, Go Down Moses, and Bandmaster Phillips own composition, Metamorphosis. The widely varied program also included several solo items, including Gary Rose playing Euphonium Fantasia, principal horn Jonathan Miller playing Capriccio Brilliante, and the vocal solo Nessum Dorma. The first half also featured the Gloucester Songsters singing Ring the Bells of Heaven.

Paul Drury's quick march Jubilee made an exciting start to the second half, which also featured Terry Purkiss playing the Latin-style cornet solo This Is My Story, based on the old gospel hymn “Blessed Assurance”. Another notable item in the second half was the old favorite Radetzky March, which set the audience to clapping along in “Last Night of the Proms” style. The Gloucester Songsters again sang, this time presenting My Joy Through the Ages (Kenneth Downie). A short devotional message was given by Major Malcolm Westwood, who also chaired the concert. The final item was Ray Farr's arrangement of Bach's Toccata, always a crowd favorite.