Tiptree Jam

Posted by Melvyn James on Mar 8, 2015 in Band news | 1 comment

The last day in February saw the band at St Lukes Church in Tiptree. This event has almost become an annual happening, spurred on no doubt by last year’s unprecedented sneeze.

The band, under the direction of Kelvin Ketteringham, delighted the listeners with a varied programme of music along with some delightful piano solos from Caroline Seredynski. Band soloists included Dave Thomas ( cornet) with the Langford arrangement of My Love is like a Red, Red Rose and Kevin Kavanagh excelled on the Euphonium with Benedictus from the Armed Man by Karl Jenkins.

American Joseph Turrin ‘s Hymn for Diana expressed the mood of America around the time of Princess Diana’s Funeral in 1997 and gave the band the opportunity to produce some profound sound pictures of this memorable and moving occasion. Soli Deo Gloria is the title of William Himes’ inspired bonding of Bach’s chorale prelude Jesu, Joy Of Man’s Desiring and Naida Hearn’s praise chorus Jesus, Name Above All Names. In contrast the band remained on the other side of the pond with a spirited rendition of the Gordon Langford arrangement of New York, New York. Drawing from British Salvationists composers the band returned to this side of the Atlantic with Brian Bowen’s Festival Arrangement, My Comfort and Strength. Time to sing and the band and congregation joined together in the much loved Swedish hymn, How Great Thou Art.

Since the band’s recent visit to Stockholm a bond has developed with former JoyStrings star Peter Dalziel. Peter and his wife Sylvia are retired Salvation Army Officers now living in Lincolnshire. We were delighted to have Peter compare proceedings, his comments were educational, entertaining and challenging.

It had been a great evening of music and praise. We look forward to our return.

Into 2015

Posted by Melvyn James on Feb 9, 2015 in Band news | 0 comments

It was  a pleasure to have Bandmaster Torgny Hanson from Stockholm conduct our first rehearsal of the New Year. Torgny was over in the UK in connection with some recording work and we counted it a real privilege to have  him as our guest for the evening.

Post Christmas cobwebs were soon lost with an intensive rehearsal of covering My  Comfort and Strength (Bowen), Psalm of Thanks (Paul Sharman), Pressing Onward (Leidzen) and  La Danza (Rossini).

Bandmaster Torgny Hanson taking the first rehearsal of 2015.

GOSH! It’s Christmas!

Posted by Melvyn James on Dec 11, 2014 in Band news | 0 comments

As last year, the band were pleased to support the Great Ormond Street Hospital Carol Concert with preconcert music and at the after reception at the neighbouring Berkeley Hotel.

You can read a full report on the carol concert by clicking on the image below.

Partnership at Hemel Hempstead

Posted by Melvyn James on Nov 9, 2014 in Band news | 0 comments

A good evening of banding was enjoyed with our friends from the Aveley and Newham Band.  Aveley conducted by John Ward kicked off with the first tranche which included the SA festival march, Able, Horn Concerto No.1 by  Richard Strauss ably played by David Howell and The Coronation Scene from Boris Godunov.

A quick change round led to the LCFB conducted by Don Jenkins giving their  contribution which included Sound Out The Proclamation, Shoeburyness, and Morley Calvert’s  My All Is On The Altar. After an interval the band two bands squeezed onto the platform to give spirited performances of Victors Acclaimed, Ave Verum, and  Eric Ball’s The Kingdom Triumphant.  Despite the poor weather conditions outside it proved to be much better inside.

An Indian Summer in Sweden

Posted by Melvyn James on Oct 14, 2014 in Band news | 0 comments

Well almost…..an on going autumn with a hint of summer which the UK experienced well into October of 2014 was still  evident as we  travelled to Stockholm in mid October . We were the guests of Stockholm South Band, perhaps better remembered as Stockholm vii, although all activities during the weekend  were centred at the centrally located Stockholm Temple .

Cornet section perform Leidzen’s classic cornet solo ‘Happy Day’.

After arriving on Friday evening the band was provided with an enjoyable meal and welcomed by Torgny Hanson, Bandmaster, Stockholm South Band and until recent retirement,  Lieut.Colonel, Head of Music, The Swedish Defence Forces. There followed a short informal music session with each band playing two or three pieces of their choice  and concluding with a couple of massed items. We were aware that on previous occasions  visiting bands had been challenged to play Starlake at a tempo  far beyond the bounds of reasonableness…not this time…. but the question was asked  who had ever played the Erik Leidzen cornet solo Happy Day…..  six hands  were hesitatingly raised ….the result is on YouTube with our Stockholm hosts accompanying  Gavin Mann, David Thomas, David Rudd, Kelvin Ketteringham, Alan Garratt and Julian Bright in what might be the first ever hexadic performance of this well loved classic solo.

The inside of Adolf Fredrik Church, Stockholm

Saturday gave opportunity to  present a lunch time  music concert in the beautiful  Adolf Fredrik Church in the centre of Stockholm. A large audience enjoyed a varied musical menu including Olympic Fanfare, Torchbearers, Lift Up Your Voice, New York, New York, and  The Kingdom Triumphant. Soloists were David Marley, Trumpet, Jim Rogers, Flugel and Duetists  Dave Thomas and Kevin Kavanagh with the Cornet and Euphonium Duet , The Prayer.

The principal event of the weekend was the Saturday evening “Host Festival” which this year was supporting  Salvation Army  endeavours in Kenya. The LCFB were the main guests  supported by  vocalists Sophie & Ella Hagman  and the  Stockholm South Band.  Playing in a full Stockholm Temple hall the LCFB provided a well received  programme of varying music primarily  featuring the repertoire  featured on  its latest CD Abundance. Stockholm South Band  contributed Ray Bowes’ Air Varie  Sunshine Mountain, in complete contrast to the  predominance of brass, Sophie and Ella delighted us with a number of their contemporary vocals numbers.

Sunday at the Temple

The stirring sounds of  Eric Ball’s  The Kingdom Triumphant focused  hearts and minds on morning worship at the Temple.  Lt. Col. Peter Dalziel led our  morning worship  and was superbly interpreted in both voice and body language by Commissioner Hasse Kjelgren, retired TC for Sweden and now a playing member of Stockholm South Band’s tuba section. Before Peter’s Bible address the band played Darren Shaw’s meditative  Guardian of  My Soul and Julian Bright led an interview session with four members of the band relating to the link between  band membership and their faith. A wonderful sense of  worship was experienced, the close of which led to a short musical interlude  from the band before Sunday Lunch and our return flight to England. The band featured David Thomas playing Ray Bowes’ Rhapsody for Cornet and Band. A confident a cappella introduction and the ensuing sensitive accompaniment made for perhaps our best offering of the weekend.  At the close of such a rewarding weekend in Sweden what else could we do but play out with an ABBA number…..Thank You For The Music.