USA East Music BULLETIN - WINTER 2018/19 - ISSUE 1 | Page 2

ROSE BOWL PARADE
STAR LAKE BAND TAKES PART IN 100TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
By Daniel Wajda, Schenectady Citadel, NY
From December 27th-January 4th the Star
Lake Band of 2018 was fortunate to travel
to California as the representatives from the
USA Eastern Territory and participate in the
Tournament of Rose Parade festivities. The
Salvation Army has participated in this event
for many years; in fact, this was the 100th
consecutive year that a band from the Army
has marched in the parade. To commemorate
this special occasion, a full music camp was
held in addition to the Parade events, and
youth bands from all over the world were
invited to convene and share their musical
gifts together. This was a once-in-a-lifetime
event and we all felt very fortunate and
blessed to take part in it. What follows is a
brief overview of the week the Star Lake Band
had in California and some of the highlights
we were fortunate to experience.
Day 1 saw all the bands from all over
the world arrive. Once registration was
completed and room assignments were
handed out, we gathered in the dining hall
for a much-needed meal after the long
flight. All participants gathered in the chapel
for a massed band rehearsal. The band was
privileged to be conducted by none other
than Canadian Staff Bandmaster John
Lam, who assumed massed band duties
throughout the week. The band rehearsed
4 pieces that would be played at Bandfest
in only a few days – “Dies Irae” (arr. Gordon),
“Fanfare: St. Francis” (Himes), “Auld Lang Syne”
(arr. Robinson), and “Amazing Grace” (arr.
Phillips). It was a special sight to see over 300
of the Army’s finest young musicians fill up
the chapel in such a magnificent way and the
sound certainly resonated in every corner of
the room.
The next day again started with a short
massed band practice and then the camp left
for a Bandfest field practice at Pasadena City
College. Bandfest is a very special opportunity
that The Salvation Army has each year during
its Rose Bowl festivities and it gives the
Army a chance to minister to over 10,000
spectators who gather to hear the bands that
day. It was lovely to rehearse the pieces out
on the field and it was clear that real progress
had been made in only one day. Following
this, the camp returned to Mt. Crags and split
into our territorial bands to rehearse for the
upcoming Sunday church services.
The day was not yet over, as later that
evening everyone gathered in the dining
hall to see which band he or she had been
placed. There were eight bands to choose
from and the members from the USA East
were divided evenly between these bands.
Following this announcement the individual
2 • USA EAST MUSIC BULLETIN | W I N T E R 2019
bands gathered in their locations for the last
rehearsal of the day.
On Day 3 the entire camp donned their
uniforms and red tunics and headed out to
the Rose Bowl where the official Bandfest
photograph was taken. This is a photo you
may have already seen make the rounds on
social media and it was a truly special moment
to witness and be a part of! Over 300 young
Salvationists from all over the world, brought
together in a way that had never been done
before… it was a historic moment and one
that shall be cherished forever.
Following the official photograph, the
camp returned to Pasadena City College
for the Bandfest performance. The band
played marvelously and conductor John Lam
was joined by assistant conductors Harold
Burgmayer and Derek Lance. It was certainly
a different experience for the audience
(accustomed to watching marching bands
that spent months preparing for this
moment) to suddenly witness a Salvation
Army brass band playing traditional Army
repertoire that had gathered for the first time
only a few days before. Nevertheless, the
band was in fine form and on our way out
of the stadium treated the crowd to “This is
Our Story”, one of two Kevin Larsson pieces
written specifically for the Rose Parade band.
W W W. M U S I C . S A CO N N E C T S . O R G