Derby Central SA Band

Conductor: Bandmaster Alan Losh
Belfast Temple
Saturday 12th May

After a huge delay at East Midlands airport Derby Central SA band hurriedly took to the platform at Belfast Temple SA for an evening of God centred music making.

The band under the controlled leadership of Bandmaster Alan Losh cracked open with William Gordon's popular festival march 'Salvation's Song' which showed the listener that here was an SA playing with full-throated conviction.

The band then gave us a beautiful arrangement by former Bandmaster and conductor of William Davis construction band Keith Wilkinson of 'Be Still', this led into the bands first major work of the evening. Mozart's famous masonic influenced overture 'The Magic Flute' was a welcome addition to the programme and in this excellent transcription by Michael Kenyon, the detail is never lost throughout the band.

The band also contributed a beautiful piece from one of the banding world's (both SA and non) up and coming composers/arrangers, Paul Drury. Paul arranged Graham Kendrick's worship song 'Such Love' which showed off the bands sweet principal cornet Mr David Purkiss. Paul, a bandsman from Edinburgh Gorgie who is currently working with a contesting band in Scotland
has wrote many fine works including his circus march 'Jubilee' which is a firm favourite both for SA and contesting bands.

One of the bands newest members is euphonium player and International Staff Bandsman Darren Willis who offered a blockbuster of a euphonium solo. Richard Phillips' arrangement of Joy Webb's 'There Will be God' is a firm favorite with euphonium players and requires stamina and endurance throughout, this however was no problem to Darren who gave a splendid
performance, sailing right up to the top F at the end. All this after sitting in an airport all afternoon without a rehearsal!!

Bruce Broughton's classic SA work 'The Good Old Way' took us into the interval. This seldom heard Festival piece was refreshing to hear live in concert as this listener has only heard it before on a vinyl record owned by his father!!

The second half was much lighter in content, however included some excellent solo contributions from Mr David Purkiss in the form of Krister Lundkvist's 'This is my Story'. David a young SA bandsman and recent graduate from Birmingham Conservatoire regularly guests for many bands on principal cornet. His flowery sound coupled with his silky smooth approach to this solo left the audience in no doubt as to why he is sought after as principal cornet material.

Another fine soloist who brought real atmosphere to the evening was the bands principal euphonium and vocal soloist Andy Ward. Andy a recent recruit into the SA's flagship choir the International Staff Songsters offered an emotionally charged performance of 'We are the Reason'. Andy's voice and choice of song had many in the hall spell bound and spiritually challenged.

Dorothy Gates an ex-patriot (from N. Ireland) now residing in New York and composer in residence with the New York Staff Band has wrote many fine arrangements for brass band recently including her fusion of old and new SA choruses entitled 'Breathe'. This tranquil arrangement brought the audience to a more reflective time before launching us into their grande finale for the evening Dean Jones' hugely popular 'Glorifico Aeternum'.

'Glorifico' as it is affectionately known in SA circles was written by young Salvationist composer Dean Jones who has recently wrote the title track for the ISB's latest CD 'Supremacy'. Knowing the quality of Deans writing in recent years this new work 'Supremacy' will become just as popular.

Already 'Glorifico Aeternum' or part thereof has been used to great effect as a finisher to entertainment contests. Sellers, Cwmaman Institute, Unison Kinniel to name but a few have used Glorifico from letter 'K' onwards to give what is a huge ending to their programme.

Derby bands performance of 'Glorifico' was very tight and well balanced thanks to the rehearsal time and hard work put in by Bandmaster Alan Losh and the band prior to this weekend, the excellent percussion noise at the end rounded off what was a great night of SA banding.

As an encore the band played Paul Drurys aforementioned March 'Jubilee'.

J. Corry

^back to top