Tuesday, September 26th 2006
Back in the saddle... again09/26/2006 02:29 PM Location : THQ
I guess it's past time to begin to write and let you know what the CSB has been up to so far this fall.
From the time we arrived home from Australia on June 26, the members of the band went their separate ways for the summer. Some took part in Salvation Army mission team activities, others had vacation time left and still others served on the staff of various Salvation Army music camps. However, because of the Australian tour it was a shorter than usual summer break for us and we met together for our first rehearsal on Tuesday, September 5.
After blowing out the cobwebs (for some of us anyway) on that first rehearsal we were on duty the following Friday evening for the Public Welcome of the Cadets. On the Saturday that followed we met back at Mayfair Community Church (which is where the Friday evening meeting was held) for a rehearsal day that went from 10:00 am until almost 3:00 pm. During the rehearsal day we were joined by Commissioners Bill and Marilyn Francis for devotions. The Commissioners currently serve at IHQ as the International Secretary for the Americas and Caribbean. They had been the special guests at both the TEC and Welcome of the Cadets. But, it was nice to have them visit us before they got back on the plane for England on Saturday.
In the evening the band went into the city for a time of fun and fellowship.
Since then, we've continued our regular rehearsal schedule in preparation for last Saturday evening's concert with the Melbourne Staff Band which was preceded by a fellowship dinner that included both bands. The concert was held at the Mayfair Community Church which allowed both bands to be on the platform at the same time. The CSB had a limited responsibility for the evening, marching the MSB in to the march "Southern Cross" and then joining with the MSB on the "Allegro Deciso" and the accompaniment for "Amazing Love". The rest of the evening (and rightly so) was left up to our guests from Melbourne.
They played a brilliant and entertaining program. When the venue allows it, they perform about 3/4's of their program before the intermission and then clear the stage. When they return they present "Brass on the Edge" which is all memorized and choreographed sort of in the "Blast" tradition. It was entertaining and very well done.
During the William Tell the trombone section put their horns between their legs and galloped around the stage as if they had hobby horses. How embarrassing! Actually, it was quite funny but I'm not looking forward to ever having to do it myself.
Here's a copy of a picture I took with my phone of them at the end of the William Tell:
For more information about the MSB and their tour visit their website at: http://www.salvationarmy.org.au/msb/
Just before "Brass on the Edge" began, Captain Ho Chang brought the devotional message for the evening impressing upon us the value of God's grace. The evening coincided with the one year anniversary of opening of the new building we've come to know as the Mayfair Community Church.
Following the concert Melbourne went to Norridge for worship on Sunday morning and then to Rockford in the afternoon. At this point, they're on their way to Canada to finish up their tour.
For us, it's back to the rehearsal room to prepare for our upcoming visit to Kewanee, IL in October and Indianapolis, IN in November. Oh yeah... I almost forgot... the Thanksgiving Festival at Edman Chapel in Wheaton on November 25 with our special guest soloist, Steven Mead.
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