Boscombe Visit to Yeovil

The town of Yeovil is one of the locations most visited by the Boscombe Band (Bandmaster Dr. Howard J. Evans), most recently on Saturday, 24 April 2010. The program was received by a very good audience, additional seating being placed right up to the beginning of the festival. The venue for the event was Holy Trinity Church in Yeovil.

The festival kicked off with Washington Salute 125 (Stephen Bulla), followed by introductions and an invocation. The next item was a popular new item by Dudley Bright, Paean. The congregation was given the opportunity to participate by singing Crown Him with Many Crowns.

The first soloist of the evening was Craig Snell, who played the cornet solo Glory to His Name (Eric Ball). Other items in the first half included All to Jesus (Eilav Herikstad), I’ll Walk with God (Nicholas Brodszky, arr. Goff Richards) and Robert Redhead’s Quintessence.

The second half began with a classic festival march, Steadily Onward (Erik Leidzén). Two more of the band’s soloists were featured next, Barney Lawrence (horn) played Demelza (Hugh Nash) and John Starkes (euphonium) presented ’Neath Dublin Skies (Paul Lovatt-Cooper).

Turning to a more devotional atmosphere, the congregation again was invited to sing, this time the song In Christ Alone. Kenneth Downie is known for writing sensitive and moving meditations and song arrangements, and the band offered one of his newest, Myfanwy, followed by a Bible reading by Band Sergeant Brian Wright. Another Downie compostion, My Name Is Written There, closed the time of introspection.

The final item of the festival was a composition by a young Salvationist composer. Steven Ponsford’s Turris Fortissima is rapidly becoming a favorite “big piece” of many bands. Following the benediction, the band closed the proceedings with Peter Graham’s Swedish Folk Song, an arrangement of the tune commonly associated with the words “How Great Thou Art”.

Feedback from the audience and others in attendance was favorable. The Yeovil Corps bandmaster, Nick Stokes, who helped out the Boscombe Band on percussion, reported that many people said what a fantastic time they had and how it is “always a great night when the Boscombe Band visit.”. In addition more the £1,000 was raised for the benefit of Yeovil Band.