Blacktown Salvation Army Band

Parade of Champions
Saturday 9 May
Blacktown City Corps

Blacktown Salvation Army Band has a long exciting history of Subscription Concerts, featuring many fine Soloists over the years.

Their Bandmaster, Doug Hardy has spent over 20 years in that position, and over the past 12 years, Doug has organised 3 to 4 concerts each year, keeping their corps musicians always striving for their next goal.

Saturday's concert was entitled The Parade of Champions compared by Major Norm Beckett ( Corps Officer ) following the National Band Championships in Sydney, this Easter.  Featured were Steven English, the Open Soprano Cornet Soloist from Warringah Concert Brass and Stuart Rynn, the Open Tympani Soloist from St Mary's Brass Band.

The band featured a wide variety of music throughout the evening, commencing with the march  Cairo Red Shield.

The Songster's choir participated early in the concert singing a beautiful prayerful song entitled, In His Presence, conducted by Andrew Douglass.

They reminded the audience that In God's presence; there is comfort and there is peace.

The first solo number for the evening was presented in a very positive manner by Steven English. Steven was accompanied by Paul Young on the piano, who supported the great sound and technique of a brilliant soprano player.

We were reminded by Bandmaster Doug Hardy that Steven, originally from Melbourne, played Soprano Cornet for a number of years with The Melbourne Staff Band.

Blacktown Band also accompanied the Timbrel Brigade in Barrie Gott's number Let There Be Praise. Not always seen in Salvation Army concerts, but always given a worthy applause for their interesting movements and entertainment for each one of us.

Paul Young showed his mature talent on the pianoforte presenting his first number with much dexterity. Without music, Paul delighted the audience with Waltz Brilliante by Chopin .

Salvation Army band's are renowned the world over for their Hymn Tune playing. Noel Jones, an avid writer from Melbourne has just had published a new work, I surrender all. This devotional setting was played with a great deal of sensitivity ending with a very warm quietly played ending.

Two of  Blacktown's own soloists  were also featured during the evening.

Robert Mills blessed us with his warm sensitive rendition of the Euphonium Solo, In Christ Alone, reminding us that, In Christ Alone, my hope is found, He is my light , my strength, my hope. From soft melodic passages to soaring lyrical features, his Eupho always was sensitive to the mood of the  solo.

To finish the first half of the evening, a old Army favourite was chosen. First published in 1966, Leslie Condon's Festival Arrangement, The Call of the Righteous rapidly became a Salvation Army "classic " which it remains, to this day. From the opening cornet fanfare, the middle Pastorale section to the exciting ending the band kept it's audience captive throughout this beautiful number.

A bright, also newly published arrange of Blessing and Honour opened the second half of the evening.This was followed by a singalong, Crown Him with Many Crowns which gave a chance for audience involvement, accompanied by the Band.

Stuart Rynn is a talented young man who had no trouble keeping us entertained with his Tympani Solo. He played the solo, Raga No. 1, having the audience enthralled by this unique number.

Paul Young  then presented his second solo of the evening - Prelude in C# Minor by Rachmanioff.  The applause from the audience gave positive thanks to Paul's brilliant playing.

Preston Hardy usually plays cornet, but had in hand a Flugel Horn and a Trumpet to present to us out of Phillip Smith's newly released Signature Series a modern upbeat swing rendition of Douglas Court's Standing on the Promises. This solo was first performed by Phillip Smith with The New York Staff Band.

This solo features a rather old song  " Standing on the Promises of God " and using a light latin beat, featured the Flugel Horn firstly with a brief interlude by the band, giving the soloist time to change to the final section, played on the Trumpet.

Both instruments were played with great individualistic feel from the soloist, a lovely smooth warm sound on the flugel, following by a great technique and pure trumpet sound on the trumpet - well done Preston.

The Songster then sang a upbeat song entitled Days of Elijah which blended very well the the band's final number.

To bring the evening to a close the band presented one of Barrie Gott's early published works Daniel. What a treat to hear the 8 bar drum solo extended to 24 bars, having the kit for the first 8 bars, the timpani for the next 8 bars and both combined to bring an exciting climax to the band's final number of the evening.

The whole evening was enjoyed by all, comprising many different styles of music which gave variety at a high level of musicianship.

In the western suburbs of Sydney, Salvation Army banding is alive and well, weekly reaching people within and outside the walls of it's worship centre.

Norman Short

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