It's A Birthday!

No... It's not a birthday for the CSB. We celebrated our 100th last year, all year. Rather, March 6, 2009 - 80 years ago today - is the birthday of my father, Harold Shoults. Read no further if you're not interested but it's not purely personal. There is a CSB connection.

As a young Salvation Army officer my dad was appointed to the CSB in the 1950s. During the fifties and sixties he was the euphonium soloist in the band. By the time I joined the band in 1972 he'd yielded the solo work to his younger brother Art but he was the deputy bandmaster. His last stint with the band was in the 80s (I think) when he served as the Executive Officer for a period.

While he was the Executive Officer I remember a trip to Panama. At least I think it was Panama - after this many years some of the trips blend together. We were short a 2nd trombone player for the trip so my dad offerred to play 2nd and Bill Himes took him up on it. That was the only time he and I played in the same section in the CSB. I think his only regret of doing that was the march we had to do!

My dad gave me the only real music lessons I ever had outside of music camps. He started me and a bunch of other kids and adults at the Kansas City Blue Valley Corps on fluteophones after we'd learned theory basics. Then he moved me to cornet before finally letting me try the trombone at age 11. He's given most of his grandchildren lessons at one time or another as well. Two of his three children and four of his eight grandchildren have been members of the CSB.

More than teaching me to play he taught me the value of ministry through music.

On his 80th birthday his general health is quite good. His hearing and sight aren't what they used to be, but they're good enough. He's a big help to my mom in their home and teaches a weekly bible study in his subdivision.

We're not that unique when it comes to having multiple generations who have been part of the CSB. There's an entire article about it on the Central Connection - Get Connected site. But, since this is my blog and Harold's my dad I get the privilege of thanking him publicly for all he has done for me and wishing him a very happy birthday today!

My brother from Texas is flying in today and we'll celebrate at dinner tonight as a family.

Most Recent Recording

Those of you who know the CSB will already know that we record our Thanksgiving Festival live and then release that to the public. It's been out for some time now and there is a web page that allows you to hear three clips from it. I think the page also has a link for purchasing your very own copy of the recording.

To preview it, click here.

Christmas in February?

Some call today Fat Tuesday and tomorrow is Ash Wednesday. But, the CSB is in our rehearsal room/studio playing Christmas music. Truth is that unlike most Salvation Army Bands the CSB doesn't ever play very much Christmas music.

For the last 25-30 years the CSB has taken a break in our season immediately following our Thanksgiving Concert held the Saturday following Thanksgiving. On occasion we've played a Christmas piece in that concert but that's about it.

In my 30+ years in the band I think we've produced 2 full Christmas recordings. That's about it.

I should explain that taking a break at Christmas is intentional for us. As a composite group made up of members from various Salvation Army churches we feel it is important to support the front line work of the Salvation Army. So, in December we tell our members to go and
do the work with their local Salvation Army church. Believe me, we're plenty busy without doing anything with the Staff Band.

What are we doing tonight? Well, we're asked to contribute to a recording produced to use as Christmas gifts for advisory personnel and many others. So, tonight was a night to record a little for that. You'll have to wait for the recording to be released to find out what we recorded.

Merry Christmas ~ in February.

--
Sent from my mobile device

Sunday - Springfield, IL

We're back on our bus heading to THQ. I think we got away a few minutes late but my GPS says we will get in at 4:42 which is ahead of our ETA of 5:00 pm. Of course that depends on traffic and if we make a stop to get a drink. A drink stop always takes at least 20 minutes.

This morning we had a good worship service at First Presbyterian Church in Springfield, IL. This is the church Abraham Lincoln and his family attended for a time. You can read more about that at the church web site, www.lincolnschurch.org.

As usual we played some prelude music, accompanied hymns, played an offertory etc. It was a good service and we were joined by Salvationists from the Springfield, IL corps. They had met at the corps for Sunday School from 9:00 am - 10:00 am and then came over to the church for the worship service.

Many thanks to Majors Logan and all who made the arrangements for our overnight housing as well as lunch at the ARC.

Saturday in Jacksonville, IL

We've just boarded the bus following our concert at Illinois College in Jacksonville, IL.

Upon arriving at THQ this morning we were challenged by an unplowed parking lot following a 4.4 inch snowfall in Des Plaines. We found a way to park our cars, waited for a former bandsman to snowblow a spot big enough for the bus and then waited as the plow finally cleared the ramp leading to the THQ garage. The bus was quickly loaded, we all boarded and found the bus was stuck on the ramp. After the entire band got off of the bus, the driver (a new one for us) was able to get enough traction to get out of the parking lot.

The ride down was uneventful with a quick lunch stop in Bloomington, IL. After lunch we discovered that the new bus we are on has both satellite TV and WiFi. Nice perk!

The concert tonight at Illinois College was part of their fine arts series. Bandmaster Himes had been commissioned to write a piece commemorating the 200th birthday of Abraham Lincoln. The piece included band accompaniment for choir which required rehearsal with the Illinois College Concert Choir supplemented by select members of the MacMurray College Choir and the Jacksonville High School Concert Choir. Following rehearsal we had a pasta dinner and prepared for the evening concert.

The concert went well, but I suspect readers may be more interested in text from the world premier of "A Lincoln Reflection " by William Himes.

We Sing of you, O Abraham

We sing of you, O Abraham,
In your own words - and ours,
The keeper of a nation's dreams,
You shine among the stars.

When nation, warring 'gainst itself,
Was put to awful test,
It fell to you to lead us through
This hell to find our best.

You faced the conflict of the age -
Momentous destiny!
And fought the battle to the end
For all men to be free.

In addition to this original text by Bandmaster Himes excerpts from Lincoln himself from "My Childhood's Home" and the "Second Inaugural Address" are included in the piece before the following final original text from Himes.

We sing of you, O Abraham,
The son of Heartland plain.
For it is true, the likes of you
Won't come this way again.

And though you left us all too soon,
Cut down by evil fate,
You are the man, the monument,
A life we celebrate.

O Abraham! We mourned you then -
We mourn you to this day.
Your words still burn within our hearts
And never fade away.

A flickering torch,
A single flame,
You lit our destiny
And we will never, never be the same.

The piece, commissioned by the Jacksonville Area Lincoln Bicentennial Commission resulted in a standing ovation.

For those interested, the concert included:

"The Good Old Way" (Broughton)
"Slavische Fantasie" (Hohne/Graham, Beth Cooper, soloist)
"This I Know" (Camsey, Brett Tolcer, soloist)
"Symphonette" (Bulla)
"A Lincoln Reflection" (Himes)
"Rigaudon" (Campra, Dr. Rudolph Zuiderveld, organ soloist)
Intermission
"Dance Like David" (Mackereth)
"Celestial Morn" (Condon, Joshua Turner, soloist)
"Soon and Very Soon" (Crouch, Karl Strand soloist)
"He Leadeth Me" (Gilmore/Kellner)
"American Civil War Fantasy (Bilik)
"The Stars and Stripes Forever" (Sousa)
"Choral Benediction" (Himes)

Heading the 45 minutes back to Springfield, IL where we will spend the night with billets before participating in a Sunday morning worship service at the First Presbyterian Church (Lincoln's Church).

We Are on Twitter!

A second post in a single day? Wellll... don't get used to it. But I did want you to know that I've also set up a Twitter account. Come on over and follow csbtwit.

I've put a gadget up that will post my tweets in the side bar of this blog too.

--
Sent from my mobile device

And they're off...

First an apology to those of you who follow this blog. I have been sorely negligent in updating it but will make every effort to fix that going forward. There really has been a lot of CSB stuff going on. I just haven't taken the time to get here to tell you about it.

Rather than go back and catch up on everything that has happened since I was last here let me just tell you that we had a great Thanksgiving Festival with the Lakeside Singers and (although I was not there) a great weekend in Lansing, MI in January.

Since I last wrote our 2nd baritone opening was filled by Nathan Hellstrom from the Rockford Temple Corps. That fills out the roster completely.

We leave tomorrow for a visit to Illinois College in Jacksonsville, IL on Saturday night and Sunday worship at the First Presbyterian Church in Springfield, IL. First Presbyterian Church is also known as "Lincoln's Church" so it's especially appropriate we are there in the February that marks the 200th anniversary of our 16th president. Here's a link to our schedule.

Weather looks a little "iffy" for the weekend so keep us in your prayers and definitely come and say hello.