Birmingham Citadel Band was delighted to welcome BM Ken Waterworth (Melbourne Staff Band) to lead the final rehearsal of the “season”.

 

BM Waterworth is over in the UK as an international guest conducting one of the bands at the UK’s Territorial Music School and there was genuine anticipation ahead of his visit to Birmingham, accompanied by Andrew Blyth (Ass. Territorial Music Director).

 

The Bandmaster was engaging, entertaining and showed great musicianship coupled with a keen eye for detail.  He brought his lyrical approach to Peter Graham’s “Renaissance” and also brought a new piece to bands in the UK by young Australian composer Sam Creamer; a swing arrangement of “I’ll Stand for Christ”.  Whilst the UK are familiar with Sam’s arrangement “Faith is the Victory” it was great to hear more from this stylish composer and also to hear how the Salvation Army in Australia is publishing music again in an attempt to further encourage young Australian composers.

 

The band was delighted to welcome a number of visitors to the rehearsal who came to listen to the rehearsal and, we are pleased to report, an entirely welcoming atmosphere was created with absolutely no mention of the Australian Cricket team’s recent demise in the current Ashes series!

 

We wish Bandmaster Ken Waterworth and Andrew Blyth a wonderful Territorial Music School 2013 and also to the members of BCB who will be in attendance this year (David Taylor - Staff Member (Euphonium), Callum White - Student (Percussion), Craig Hughes - Student (Euphonium), Alex White - Student (Percussion)).

 

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Photos - Graham Daff