Minnesota Twin Cities Report

It's been over a week since the CSB was in Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN but I really haven't had much time to write to share with you my impressions of the weekend. Hopefully life will get more reasonably paced so I can write more frequently, but I'm not real hopeful.

At any rate we did have a wonderful weekend in the Twin Cities. Our departure on Saturday morning wasn't super early for a change. But since we were flying we all had to leave in time to be able to park, ride the shuttle to the terminal and check in. It was a minor miracle I guess that both going and coming we were a few minutes ahead of the published airline schedule. The flights were uneventful and we were blessed with safe travel.

Bob and Connie trucked our equipment to and from Minnesota and that always makes our air travel a lot less complicated. They always do a great job for us when called upon. It is a real blessing to have them along on any trip that we take with them.

Upon arrival we set up and had a quick lunch before working with the members of the Northern Youth Band. Our time with them consisted of a short massed band rehearsal followed by sectionals. It was fun for me to sit between and work with Nate and Jake in the massed setting. I've met Nate at CMI before but it was my first time meeting Jake. Then we had fun working through the tricky bits in a short sectional that followed. You'll see in the program items I will list below that the CSB and Northern Youth Band combined for a couple of items Saturday evening.

Saturday evening the Trinity Baptist Church was full for an evening concert. It was great to see a lot of people we have known over the years and to make new friends as well. A copy of the play list for Saturday night is listed below but the newest players from the Lakewood Temple Corps were featured in "American Celebration" and the Northern Youth Band played "Righteousness, Peace and Joy". Also, Saturday marked the debut of Shaun Thomas playing "Glorious Fountain" a cornet solo played on his euphonium.

Following Saturday evening we made the long trek to Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie to set up for two services on Sunday morning. This church has seven worship services over the weekend and it had been arranged for us to participate in two of their traditional worship services. It was a little tricky because they were in two different locations so we had to move quickly from one service to another.

After a wonderful morning of worship at Wooddale we had a lovely lunch before heading back to the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport and our flight home. This weekend was surely a wonderful and blessed opportunity of service and worship.

For the band geeks that are still reading, here is the play list from Saturday night. I apologize to the composers for not listing them... hopefully they will understand.

• "In Good Company"
• "Post Bellum Rhapsody"
• "Glory To His Name" (Beth Cooper, soloist)
• Vocal selections - "I Will Call Upon The Lord" & "Celebration"
• Testimony - Josh Turner
• "Ashokan Farewell"
• "American Celebration" (featuring the Lakewood Temple beginners)
• "To World's Unknown"
• "Northern Brass"
• "Righteousness, Peace & Joy" (solo item by Northern Youth Band)
• "Walk In The Light"
• "Glorious Fountain" (Shaun Thomas, soloist)
• "Artist of My Soul" (Heidi Strand, soloist)
• Scripture - Lt. Colonel McLaren
• "Precious Fountain" (CSB & Northern Youth Band)
• "ARC Centennial" (CSB & Northern Youth Band)
• "O Boundless Salvation" (Congregation, CSB & Northern Youth Band)
• "Choral Benediction"

This Weekend in Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN

It's been a bit busy and I've had little time to blog. Sorry about that...

At any rate, the CSB will be in the Twin Cities this weekend. Here's the information I have that some of you may be interested in. If you're in the area, we'd love to see you.

Saturday, April 19

Concert at Trinity Baptist Church
2220 Edgerton Street
Maplewood, MN 55117
6:30 pm

Sunday, April 20

Worship services at Wooddale Church
6630 Shady Oak Road
Eden Prairie, MN 55344
9:00 am and 10:15 am

Lansing, MI Concert

The CSB travelled by bus to Lansing, MI earlier today. The events of the weekend included a concert this evening and will conclude with a worship service tomorrow morning. The concert this evening was well attended at the beautiful South Church in Lansing. This venue came highly recommended to us by Bandmaster Himes who had been there when Lansing hosted the Melbourne Staff Band about 18 months ago. He was correct... the facility is beautiful and a good place to play.

So far we have been well hosted by Majors Robert and Alice Scott who are the Capital Area commanders for the Salvation Army. In addition to many from the local area it was great to see a number of people who travelled to Lansing from Detroit, Flint, Port Huron, Kalamazoo and Mt Clemens. I've probably missed a few other places.

The concert this evening was presented compliments of Dart Bank and for that we and the Salvation Army in the Capital Area are grateful.

Tomorrow (Sunday, March 30) we will participate in a 10:30 am worship service at Peoples Church in East Lansing before we take the bus back home.

For those who are still reading the program for the evening follows:

• Milestone
• Pilgrim Song
• Glory To His Name (Beth Cooper, soloist)
• Band Chorus: Celebration & How Blest Are Those
• I Walked Today (Brett Tolcher, soloist)
• Testimony (Mary Kim)
• Ashoken Farewell
• Post Bellum Rhapsody
• Northern Brass
• Festival of Thanksgiving
• Artist of My Soul (Heidi Strand, soloist)
• Scripture (Lt. Colonel Mickey McLaren)
• Onward Christian Soldiers
• Stars and Stripes Forever
• Choral Benediction

Holy Week

Our spring break is over and we were back in the rehearsal room last Tuesday. We're busy getting ready for our visit to Lansing, MI but that doesn't take place until after Easter.

Speaking of Easter, we began Holy Week today by celebrating Palm Sunday at our respective Salvation Army corps today. It doesn't really have anything to do with the CSB since the only time we will be together during the week will be at rehearsal on Tuesday evening. But in another sense it has everything to do with the CSB since the events of this week provides all of the motivation for what we try to do as a band in sharing the gospel wherever and whenever we are together. In particular without the events of Good Friday and the joy of Easter morning there would be no Salvation Army and hence no Chicago Staff Band.

So, I for one, will observe carefully the events of this week. If nothing more I want to be reminded of what Christ did for me so that I can serve him more fully.

"Spring Break Week"

It's official!

The Chicago Staff Band will be taking a spring break from rehearsal this week. There's a host of reasons for it including the prediction of more snow for the Chicago area. Actually, we usually take a spring break the last week in March. This year it's been moved up to March 4, 2008. Then it's back to the rehearsal room for three more rehearsals before we head off for a weekend in Lansing, MI.

Recording Session

On Tuesday night the CSB had a recording session. We recorded "Precious Lord" (Dorsey, arr. Broughton, soloist - Ben Kinzie) and "Voluntary on Old Hundredth" (Purcell, arr. Curnow).

Now, before you get excited about a new recording you should understand how recording with the CSB works. Our rehearsal room doubles as our recording studio. So, when we have something ready to record, we simply record it. But what we record could possibly sit in the sound vault for months or in the worst case years before it makes it to a recording you can actually get your hands on.

So, don't hold your breath on this one. But we did get some recording done last night.

Saturday Night in Champaign, IL

As promised the CSB was in concert this evening in Champaign, IL.

We drove down from Chicago this afternoon in time to have a short rehearsal that included members of the University of Illinois British Brass Band. We collaborated on two items... "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" (Bach arr. Leidzen) and "The Stars and Stripes Forever" (Sousa arr. Himes). Bandmaster Himes had the baton for the Bach piece and Dr. Peter Griffin of the University of Illinois conducted the Sousa piece. It was a lot of fun to get to know these very fine musicians from the University of Illinois.

Following the rehearsal we enjoyed dinner provided by our hosts at Faith United Methodist Church.

Then, at 7:00 pm it was time for the concert that included the following items:

• "Milestone" (Himes)
• "Post Bellum Rhapsody" (Leidzen)
• "Glory To His Name" (Ball) - Beth Cooper, soloist
• "I Will Call Upon The Lord" (O'Shields)
• "He Leadeth Me" (Kellner)
• "Onward Christian Soldiers" (Fernie)
• "Rigaudon" (Campra, arr. Himes) - Dr. Michael Hammer, soloist
• "Hallelujah!" (Curnow)
• "I Walked Today Where Jesus Walked" (O'Hara, arr. Graham) - Brett Tolcher, soloist
• "Somebody Prayed For Me" (Cloninger/Sterling) - Heidi Strand, soloist
• "Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring" (Bach, arr. Leidzen)
• "Festival of Thanksgiving" (Downie)
• "The Stars and Stripes Forever" (Sousa, arr. Himes)
• "Choral Benediction" (Himes)

In addition to these items Major John Turner, commanding officer of the Salvation Army in Champaign took opportunity to thank the community for their wonderful support during the 2007 Christmas effort. Mick Shay read the scripture and Alan Nelson (a 1966 alumnus of the University of Illinois and the Marching Illini) gave a personal testimony.

The concert marked the debut of both Beth Cooper and Brett Tolcher as soloists with the band.

After a night of sleep we will return to Faith United Methodist Church tomorrow morning to participate in a 10:30 am worship service.