On Saturday 19th September, Birmingham Citadel Band performed at the Central Methodist Hall Church in Walsall.
The evening started with an upbeat piece called Make His Praise Glorious. This made an excellent start to a night of music. The mood was then changed with the tenor horn solo, You Love Me, played by Neil Blessett. His beautiful sound filled the church hall. This led into a time of prayer.
The band then followed with the exciting March Militaire Francaise. Following this Mark Sharman brought us the jazzy trombone solo, Fiesta. Once again the mood was changed with To Thy Cross I Come, Lord. To end the first half, the band played a challenging piece called Variations on Laudate Dominium, which was followed by much applause.
The second half, featured an array of music styles. David Taylor brought us the euphonium solo, Locomotion. The piece imitated a train moving. My personal favourite in the second half was a latin American piece, Jubilo Jubilo, where the band let their hair down (especially the bandmaster!). I also enjoyed a recently written piece, in a funk style, Hold that Fort. The last major piece of the evening was The Day of the Lord, where the audience were reminded of the bands faith and why they where there.
A good, old salvation army march, The Liberator, completed what had been a great evening of music for God.
Words: Lauren Blessett (n.b. 13 year old Lauren is a budding Baritone and Euphonium player in our Junior Band at Birmingham Citadel. It has been great to see Lauren and her friends at BCB concerts recently - we really appreciate your support and everything you all do, especially with the Junior Band)
Photos: Graham Daff
1.Make His Praise Glorious (arr. Bill Gordon)
2.Horn Solo: You Love Me (Paul Sharman) – Soloist Neil Blessett
3.Marche Militaire Francaise (Saint-Saens; arr. Kenyon)
4.Trombone Solo: Fiesta (Peter Graham) – Soloist Mark Sharman
5.To Thy Cross I Come, Lord (Ivor Bosanko; arr. Ritman)
6.Variations on “Laudate Dominum” (Revised) (Edward Gregson)
7.Call of the Gospel (Martin Cordner)
8.Congregational Song: And Can it Be
9.Euphonium Solo: Locomotion (Norman Bearcroft) – Soloist David Taylor
10.Hold that Fort! (Sam Creamer)
11.Jubilo Jubilo (Martin Cordner)
12.Bow the Knee (arr. Sam Shelley)
13.The Day of the Lord (Steven Ponsford)
14.The Liberator (George Marshall)
