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As followers of The Salvation Army’s International Staff Band are no doubt already aware, plans are well underway for a weekend of celebration in London, England, June 3-5, 2011, marking the ISB’s 120th anniversary.
The Canadian Staff Band is one of eight staff bands from around the world that has been invited to share in this historic occasion with the ISB, along with the Amsterdam Staff Band, German Staff Band, Japan Staff Band, Melbourne Staff Band, New York Staff Band and Chicago Staff Band. Three of the bands (Chicago, Japan and Melbourne) will have opportunity to tour the U.K. prior to the weekend.
Over the three days a series of events will be held:
Friday, June 3
With all eight bands descending on London, the weekend will commence with a Friday night concert at Regent Hall featuring the world’s oldest staff band (New York) and the ISB.
Saturday, June 4
Saturday will feature a spectacular evening concert at the Royal Albert Hall involving massed bands, vocalists, soloists, “flags, trumpets and trombones” and plenty of audience engagement and participation. The evening program will be preceded in the afternoon by each band giving a 20-25 minute concert of their own choice (with multimedia presentation) highlighting their own distinct “character” and their places in The Salvation Army’s work of their own country. There will also be a series of fringe events taking place during the day around the Royal Albert Hall.
Sunday, June 5
As part of an annual event, The Salvation Army’s music leaders from throughout the United Kingdom will be joined in the morning by all eight staff bands in the congregation. Music will be provided by the U.K.’s Territorial Youth Band and the International Staff Songsters.
In the afternoon, in what is sure to be one of the highlights of the weekend, all eight staff bands will march down The Mall to Buckingham Palace where permission has been granted by The Queen to present a small concert in the forecourt of the palace grounds.
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Anticipation is mounting for this memorable weekend of celebration.
For the Canadian Staff Band, it will be our fourth visit to England, having been there previously in 1974 (left), 1983 and 1990. At this point in time, we are working on arranging a tour elsewhere in Europe that will likely take place before the ISB anniversary. Further details will be announced in due course.