Just over 40 years ago, on January 18, 1969, members of the newly re-formed Canadian Staff Band marched onto the platform of Toronto’s Bramwell Booth Temple for their official inauguration and very first public performance. On Saturday, May 30, 2009, a capacity audience at The Salvation Army’s Scarborough Citadel took in the band’s 40th anniversary festival celebrating a significant milestone in CSB history. Special guest was Colonel Robert Redhead, the CSB’s second bandmaster (1976-1985), who was on hand to chair the program and offer his informative insight into the various items presented by the band under Bandmaster John Lam.

 

From the opening notes of Jeff Christmas’ Living Flame (a new fanfare and intrada written especially for the CSB’s newest recording, Festivity), the audience knew they were in for a marvellous night of music and celebration. The music served as an introduction to James Montgomery’s noble hymn Stand Up and Bless the Lord, which the audience then rose to sing accompanied by the band, in a new arrangement written and conducted by Deputy Bandmaster Major Ken Smith.

 

Following words of greeting and a prayer by Commissioner William W. Francis, territorial commander, Colonel Redhead was warmly welcomed by the appreciative audience as he stood to introduce Martin Cordner’s Let Everything Praise!, a dynamic setting of St. Francis of Assisi’s All Creatures of Our God and King. This was followed by the first soloist of the evening, CSB Executive Officer Major Kevin Metcalf, who presented Bruce Broughton’s Pleasure In His Service.

 

A change of pace came with the presentation of the first movement from Stephen Bulla’s Concertante - a cornet ensemble with band accompaniment based on Bach’s Passion Chorale and featuring CSB members Steve Brown, Ron Heintzman, Andrew Burditt, John Avery, Cameron Fraser and Serena Doars.

 

Making his CSB performance debut was Staff Bandsman Cameron Rawlins, who presented the contemporary Christian song Were it Not For Grace by David Hamilton and Phill McHugh, accompanied by Major Ken Smith, piano; Doug Elvin, bass guitar; Andrew Burditt and Serena Doars, cornet; Craig Lewis, trombone; Steve Pavey, euphonium; and Leigh Rowney, drums. The vocal solo provided a break for the band and was a much appreciated addition to the program.

 

To round off the first half of the program the CSB presented Leslie Condon’s rarely performed Festivity. In his introductory comments, Colonel Robert Redhead spoke of his friendship with the late composer, who died in December 1983 while playing his bass while carolling with a Salvation Army band just before Christmas. The music is written in a variety of styles and is based on the tune Gopsal, associated with Charles Wesley’s words, “Rejoice, the Lord is King.”

 

Following the intermission, when audience members had the first opportunity to purchase the CSB’s new CD, an ensemble consisting of Steve Brown and Andrew Burditt (cornet), Rick Allington (horn), Craig Lewis (trombone) and Jeremy Avery (tuba) introduced Kevin Norbury’s Hallelujah Parade, written for the band’s 2001 tour of Australia and New Zealand. Deputy Bandmaster Ken Smith then conducted his new composition Songs of the Pioneers, written for the 125th anniversary of Guelph Corps, Ontario, and featuring toe-tapping early-day Army melodies such as The Eden Above and Hallelujah to the Lamb. The songs resonated with the audience who appreciated the musical nod to a largely bygone Army era.

 

The second soloist of the night was Staff Bandsman Steve Pavey, who gave a memorable presentation of Ralph Pearce’s Welsh Fantasy for Euphonium and Band, based on the tune Suo Gan. The band then immediately launched into a stirring rendition of the old-time street march The Maple Leaf by Bramwell Coles, written while the composer was serving in Canada in the 1920s.

 

To the music of Kenneth Downie’s The Father’s Blessing, based on the song God Be With You Till We Meet Again, the audience then viewed a slide presentation of CSB memories from 1969 to 2009, showing highlights of the band’s 40-year history including photos of those promoted to Glory over the years. CSB alumni members who were present for the occasion then joined current band members in singing Robert Redhead’s O My Jesus, a male voice item used when the composer was staff bandmaster in the late 1970s. Following a moving introduction in which Colonel Redhead shared how he was inspired to write the music, he then conducted the singers, accompanied by a four-part trombone ensemble.

 

To conclude the night, the band presented Robert Redhead’s tone poem Deus Vobiscum. Originally written and played by the CSB in 1983 and featured on its second tour of Britain, the music is a study on the hymn tune Bullinger (“I am trusting thee, Lord Jesus”), but also seeks to portray the events of the sinking of the Empress of Ireland, in which more than 150 Salvationists, including most of the original Canadian Staff Band, lost their lives while on their way to The Salvation Army’s international congress in London, England, in 1914. The music is augmented by scriptural narration, read for this performance by Colonel Redhead himself. And to further enhance the effect of the performance, a moving visual presentation compiled by Kim Garreffa of the music and gospel arts department brought history to life, as audience members were able to view both still and moving pictures as well as dramatic re-enactments depicting this significant moment in history that so greatly impacted the Canada and Bermuda Territory.

 

The evening was a memorable occasion for all who were present, and those who made the effort to attend were rewarded with a rich night of musical and spiritual blessing. May God continue to bless and use the ministry of the Canadian Staff Band for another 40 years and beyond.