USA East Music BULLETIN - WINTER 2018/19 - ISSUE 1 - Page 14

MONTCLAIR CHRISTMAS
By Thomas Scheibner, Assistant Territorial Music Secretary
The Montclair Citadel Band (Bandmaster
Charles Baker) held its annual Christmas
Benefit Concert to raise funds for the corps
homeless shelter on Friday night, December
14, 2018 at Montclair Citadel (New Jersey).
Special guests for the evening program
were the Orpheus Club Men’s Chorus from
northern New Jersey and tuba soloist Derek
Fenstermacher, presently principal tuba of
the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and
soon to be principal tuba of the St. Louis
Symphony Orchestra.

Corps Officer Major Brett DeMichael
opened the evening with an invocation
and introductions followed the opening
march by the band, “The Shining Star” (Peter
Graham). This has to be one of the most
popular Christmas marches published by The
Salvation Army as both Salvation Army brass
bands and other brass bands throughout the
world feature this frequently on Christmas
programs.

The Orpheus Men’s Chorus joined
with the Montclair Band to present an
attractive arrangement by Philip Sparke of
Bach’s “Sleepers, Wake” chorale. Following
this item and then later in the program, the
chorus was featured on its own in items
including “Angels we have heard on high”
arranged by Richard Lane, the group’s
fine piano accompanist; “Jingle Bell Rock”,
arranged by the group’s director, John
Palatucci; and “Good King Wenceslas” (arr.
Channing Lefebvre). The chorus sang with
Journey) was an arrangement of an item
originally composed by Anthony DiLorenzo.
This work was commissioned in 2001 by the
Carmel (California) Music Society to celebrate
the Spanish heritage of the city of Monterey.
It tells the story of King Baltazar, one of the
biblical three wise men who traveled to visit
the baby Jesus.

The other composition contributed
by Ralph Pearce was entitled “Proclamation
of Liberty”. The title derives from the
prophecy of Isaiah (61:1) quoted by Jesus at
the beginning of His ministry – “To proclaim
liberty to the captives.” Several songs are
featured, the texts of which were inspired
by this scripture: “Hark the glad sound”, “To
heal the broken heart he came” and “Come
Thou long expected Jesus”. This was the first
performance of the revised version of this
work.

an enthusiastic full-throated sound, and it
seemed that they enjoyed their singing as
much as the audience enjoyed receiving
their contributions.
The band contributed several well-received
items. Ralph Pearce is a retired Salvation
Army Divisional Music Director formerly
living in Phoenix, Arizona now living in
New Jersey. In addition to playing 2nd
trombone in the band, Ralph arranged or
composed 2 band items that were featured
in this program. The first, “Baltazar (A King’s
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