Heritage Brass joined with Yorkminster Citadel Songsters at Yorkminster Citadel for an evening of Music. With Heritage Brass being without a resident Bandmaster at the time, Marcus Venables (Assistant Territorial Music Secretary) was invited to conduct the band for the concert. Marcus was able to join the band for several rehearsals leading up to the concert, himself selecting the music which the band played. The band provided six solo items mixed with the Songsters’ contributions, two of which included a cornet solo by Deryck Diffey. Now closer to his 90th birthday than his 80th, Deryck sensitively played Phil Rayment’s composition – “Faithful Follower.” The band’s final rendering was a major work “Wondrous Salvation”… the composer being the brother of Marcus… Harrison Venables.
Yorkminster Songsters under the leadership of Cathie Koehnen also provided six solo items. The brigade demonstrated a high standard of singing with the leader selecting various styles of music that sometimes left the congregation reflecting with no applause with God’s Spirit moving, then at other times applause at the high standard of musicianship in praising God our Father. Special mention should be made to Bill Way, the pianist who accompanied the Songster Brigade. Bill has long been known to Salvation Army congregations for his mastery of the piano. The second soloist of the evening was Sean van Gulik in the brigade’s item – “Nothing but Thy Blood” (Simon Gash).
Newly appointed Band Executive Officer, Heritage Brass, Col. Robert Ward brought a devotional thought, before the band and songsters joined together, concluding the evening with… “Make Me a Channel” (William Himes).