Report : NYSB Tour of England 2023
DAY 1 – SALE
WEDNESDAY , MARCH 22 , 2023 — The New York Staff Band has had a great journey to the UK , landing safely in London on Tuesday evening in an attempt to get a bit of rest after a busy Future All-Stars weekend back in NY . The best part was being able to indulge in a full English breakfast the next morning , complete with proper bacon !
We loaded the bus along with our guide for the week , Richard Woodrow ( ISB flugel and Norwich Corps BM ) and headed north to the Manchester area , specifically the Sale Corps . We were greeted by our good friend and corps bandmaster , Jonathan Evans and quickly set up ready for a much needed warm up ! After a lovely roast chicken dinner put on by several corps helpers , the band did some final preparations before opening the doors for the sold out crowd that had already gathered . There was a buzz in the hall and anticipation from both the band and audience .
The bands programming for most of the trip consists of more traditional festival repertoire in the first half and is all music written exclusively for the NYSB . The audience was receptive to the mostly new music , even though it may have been unfamiliar to them , especially the world premiere of Brenton Broadstock ’ s ‘ Prayers and Tribulations ’. This is a significant and intense piece of music written in response the COVID 19 pandemic the whole world suffered through .
The second half of the program is where things really took off as the band played its UK premiere of ‘ The Creation Story .’ Using visual media , a live narrator and arrangements of popular Christian and secular songs in addition to hymns of the church , the entire Genesis account is told , ending in a rousing rendition of ‘ How Great Thou Art ’ in which the audience is encouraged to sing along in a final reprise . It ’ s not often that a brass band concert becomes a worship experience but the Holy Spirit was present and people were visibly moved .
With speaking to the corps officer following the festival , she mentioned that a new couple from the community attended the corps for the first time , were changed by what they experienced and were eager to sign up with the SA as soon as possible !
A successful first day , but eager to see what the Lord has in store for the rest of the tour .
12 NYSB BULLETIN FALL 2023
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