The Salvation Army has a long tradition in music, especially the brass band. Since the early inception of The Salvation Army by founder General William Booth, used brass instruments as way of bringing church music to the people on the streets, citing that it was a little easier carrying a trumpet than a piano or an organ.
The first brass band started when Charles Frye and his family decided to play instruments in order to be bodyguards for the General. Eventually, as time went on, more and more people got involved in this great tradition. Because we are a Brass Band, there are absolutely no reed instruments, not that we don?t like them, but it was also more difficult to hear outdoors. So here?s how our instrumentation breaks down:
Instead of a piccolo, we use an E-flat Soprano Cornet:
The next instrument, which would equate to the clarinet and flute parts, is the B-flat Cornet:
Solidifying the inner, more mellow parts are the E-flat Alto Horn, and B-flat flugel:
As we go lower down the band, we have the Euphonium, which also handles Flute/Clarinet-like passages, and B-flat baritones:
And then of course we round out the bottom with trombones and E-flat and B-flat Tubas:
Since that humble beginning, The Salvation Army brass band has made some very fine musicians. Some of which are: Phil Smith, David Daws, Derrick Kane, Chris Mallet, and many others. The International Staff Band continues to be The Salvation Army?s premier brass band, with a caliber that challenges Britain?s best. For more information on The International Staff Band or other brass bands of The Salvation Army,
click here.
But it doesn?t stop there!
We also have many choir brigades, called Songsters and Singing Companies (for the children) and play these little things called timbrels.
Wanna come see and hear us?
Our next public engagements are the Holiday Bowl parade and the Tournament of Roses parade.
Questions on how to join, please call our offices.
Thank you.