For our first engagement of 2010, the Canadian Staff Band was pleased to visit Guelph Citadel on February 6-7. Located just an hour’s drive west of Toronto, Guelph is a thriving community of about 130,000. The Salvation Army began working there in 1884 and has become well respected for its spiritual and practical ministry.

 

Arriving on Saturday afternoon, we spent time working with the corps youth band and beginners’ band before preparing for the evening concert. This mostly consisted of one-on-one tutoring sessions in which staff band members were paired with individual players to give them private instruction. It afforded us some great opportunities to get to know the young people as we worked with them to improve their technique and encouraged them to keep using their musical gifts for the Lord. Afterwards we rehearsed with the corps youth band for our massed item in the evening concert. We were encouraged by the standard of music making and are thankful for the dedicated leaders who work with the young people week after week.

Working with young instrumentalists 

Following a delicious roast beef dinner graciously served to us by members of the corps, a packed hall greeted us for the evening concert. Salvationists and friends had come from many surrounding communities to hear the band and it was good to meet many of them before and afterwards. We began with Living Flame (Jeff Christmas), then proceeded into a varied program that was well received by the appreciative audience. Soloists included Major Kevin Metcalf with This Is My Story (Lundkvist) and Steve Pavey in A Joy Untold (Camsey). As always, Leigh Rowney’s xylophone dexterity in Joyous Rhythm brought the house down. 



























In a world premier, Craig Lewis presented a brand new solo, Incarnation, written especially for him by composer Ralph Pearce and based on the hymn tune Armadale written by his wife’s grandmother, the late Mrs. Colonel Lily Skinner.

 

Other highlights of the evening were the perennial favourite, Canadian Folk Song Suite (Morley Calvert), James Curnow’s Variations on Terra Beata, and Songs of the Pioneers, written for Guelph Citadel’s 125th anniversary in 2009, and conducted by the composer, Deputy Bandmaster Major Ken Smith. In a special presentation, the CSB combined with the Guelph Youth Band to present a new “rock ‘n’ roll” setting of Days of Elijah by Dean Jones, led by Y.P. Band Leader Dean Westover.

 

By special request, the CSB presented Dean Goffin’s timeless classic The Light of the World, which was followed by Scripture and led into Cameron Rawlins’ vocal presentation of It Is Well With My Soul (arr. William Himes). The program then concluded with Robert Redhead’s Corpus Christi, a large-scale festival work depicting the unity of believers in the body of Christ.

 

Sunday morning worship included two services, at 9:30 and 11:00 respectively, as well as a small group who ministered during Sunday school. The band presented a variety of musical selections including Martin Cordner’s Let Everything Praise! and a new work, Healing Grace, by Marcus Venables. Steve Brown, originally from the Guelph Corps, presented a cornet-euphonium duet with Steve Pavey—Ivor Bosanko’s Time and Eternity. The CSB worship team led in a time of praise and celebration and Major Kevin Metcalf brought the Bible message encouraging listeners to give thanks in the midst of all of life’s circumstances.

 

It was a wonderful weekend and a great way for the CSB to kick off a new year of ministry. We were thrilled with the level of commitment and ability demonstrated by the young people’s bands in particular, and pray God’s continued blessing on all the leaders and each member as they move forward in the days to come.

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