NY Staff Band

NYSB @ Keswick: Whiting, NJ

Sunday, October 16, 2005

A capacity crowd of 1,000 people was promised to the NYSB by the organizers of this event in the days leading up to this Sunday afternoon festival. As we drove through the barren pinelands along the Jersey southern coast, we wondered if this really was going to happen. Upon arriving at 2:00 PM, we noticed that several senior citizens had already reserved prime seats in the hall of the multi-purpose room and were ready for the festival to begin. By the time that the 3:00 PM start time for the festival had come to pass, the room indeed was filled to capacity by over 1,000 people.

The NYSB presented a festival featuring a wide spectrum of music. The music of Brian Bowen was again featured to a certain extent, as his "Profile" festival had taken place at the Centennial Memorial Temple only a week earlier. Bowen pieces presented included "The Warriors", "The Southern Cross", "Folk Heroes" and "My Comfort and Strength". Wonderful congregational singing from this large crowd added to the excitement of the program during Bill Himes' arrangement of "Amazing Love".

NYSB soloists were in fine form during this program. Deputy Bandmaster Gordon Ward's presentation of the cornet solo "Crossroad" was given a prolonged enthusiastic reception. Trombone Soloist Burt Mason's solo "Over the Rainbow" (arr. Norman Bearcroft) struck a responsive chord with the mainly elderly audience. Finally, Aaron VanderWeele received a standing ovation following his presentation of the euphonium solo "We'll All Shout Hallelujah".

Dean Jones' arrangement of the popular Geron Davis contemporary Christian song "Holy Ground" was "played out" during a band festival for the first time. As evidenced by this arrangement and by the NYSB finale "Glorifico Aeternum", this young Salvationist composer from England promises to be one of the most gifted new talents emerging in the brass band movement at present.

It was also good to see in the audience some prominent Salvation Army retired leaders living in the area, including Commissioner Robert Watson, Commissioner Robert Rightmire (who was responsible for a good deal of publicity promoting this event - well done!) and Colonel Henry Gariepy. Salvationists in the audience were proud to be linked with the NYSB and we were pleased to see them in attendance in this audience comprised of many non-Salvationists hearing a brass band for the first time. This was an excellent venue and event, and the NYSB hopes that this festival at Keswick can continue on a yearly basis to the Glory of God.

Tom Scheibner

Assistant Territorial Music Secretary