Switzerland

The band has just returned from a Mini-Tour of Switzerland, where we performed sell-out concerts in Morges and Sirnach (with the Universal Brass Band). Saturday morning saw the band in Zurich City Centre presenting a series of four mini-concerts before travelling on to Bern, where we took part in a Salvation Army Brass Event which included a fantastic Saturday night Gala Concert. On Sunday morning we took part in the worship meetings at the Bern Salvation Army Church centre. You can read more about the tour clicking on this link. more...

View photos from the trip on the band's Flickr site ->>

30/04/2012

March 2012

This month's update includes information on the band's two recording sessions, the recent trip to Leeds West Hunlset, where the band was accompanied by General Shaw Clifton (R), and an update on some personnel changes. more...

31/03/2012

February 2012

The second weekend away of the year was to the Rock Ferry Corps. The last time the band visited the Corps was in 1991 and from that occasion only one piece of music was to be repeated during the weekend, Leslie Condon's 'The Present Age'. The venue for the Saturday evening festival was the former Oxton Congregational Church, a Grade II-listed building that has been labeled the 'Gateway to Birkenhead' because of its commanding position. For almost two decades the building lay derelict but, having spent over £1.25million on the restoration of the building, it was reopened as a place of worship for the Wirral Christian Centre and what a great place for the ISB to present its varied programme of music. more...

29/02/2012

January Update (Bellshill, Recording update & TYB)

The first weekend away of the year was to the Bellshill Corps, in Scotland. This visit, was indeed a ‘first’ for the ISB, and a good crowd gathered on a cold January Saturday evening for the concert. As always, there was a mixed programme from the band, including ‘new’ (Life Ablaze’ – Steven Ponsford), ‘nearly new’ (‘Pursuing Horizons – Dudley Bright), and music a bit older (‘California’ – Emil Soderstrom). The finale piece ‘Fire in the Blood’ – Paul Lovatt-Cooper had it’s continued rousing reception. more...

31/01/2012

Staff Band Celebration Benefits Salvation Army Expansion in Africa

General Linda Bond was delighted to accept £50,000 from the United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland to support the continuing expansion of Salvation Army ministry in Africa. The money was raised through ISB120, a successful series of meetings held in London in 2011 to mark the 120th anniversary of the International Staff Band of The Salvation Army.

In a letter to the General, Territorial Commander Commissioner John Matear asked that the donation be used specifically to fund mission development in Africa.

Commissioner Matear visited International Headquarters on 11 January, accompanied by International Staff Bandmaster Dr Stephen Cobb and former Staff Bandsmen Malcolm Quinn (Project Director, ISB120) and Trevor Caffull (Managing Director, Salvation Army Trading Company). They presented the cheque for £50,000 to the General, who confirmed that the money will help to fund the next phase of expansion of The Salvation Army's work in Africa, details of which will be announced later in the year.

31/01/2012

Personnel Changes

We are delighted to announce that Trevor Caffull has been re-appointed to the International Staff Band on BBb Bass.

Trevor first joined the ISB in October 1989 and gave excellent service to the band for some 15 1/2 years. He has continued to maintain a strong connection with the band through his work as Managing Director of The Salvation Army Trading Company, but we pleased to welcome him back as a member of the ISB and wish him well in his second spell of membership.

We are sorry to announce that Staff Bandsman Nicholas Brill has had to relinquish his place in the ISB due to work commitments. We are very sorry to lose Nick from the band and wish him well in his new job.

20/01/2012

Band supports the 29th annual Parliamentary Carol Service

Around 400 parliamentarians, staff and visitors gathered for the 29th annual Parliamentary Carol Service, hosted by John Bercow, the Speaker, with accompaniment provided by musicians from the International Staff Band. more...

31/12/2011

Personnel Changes

Percussionist Nathan Cole has left the band after 8 years service. Nathan has recently commenced his Graduate Teacher Programme at The Ridings' Federation Winterbourne International Academy and so is unable to travel to London for rehearsals. The band wishes Nathan well as he furthers his teaching career. Rob Hayward, a percussionist from Birmingham Citadel Corps, is assisting the band for the remainder of the year. Arthur Stagg is our new librarian, taking over from Nick Parkhouse who recently moved to Manchester to study music at the Univeristy of Salford.

15/09/2011

2011-2012 season commences

We welcome bandsman Nicholas Brill to the solo cornet bench of the ISB. Nick is a graduate of The Royal Welsh College of Music, and is active in his local corps at Cwm, in South Wales.

Damian Wileman was a member of the ISB for 6 years, and established himself as a fine Bb Bass player. We were therefore, sad to be saying farewell to Damian as a member of the band.more...

15/09/2011

Change of Executive Officer

In July, David Hinton was appointed to the position of Chief Secretary for The Salvation Army's United Kingdom Territory so he is unable to continue as the Bands Executive Officer. The band would like to thank him for his leadership and wish him success in his new role.

We are pleased to announce that Major Noel Wright has recently been appointed as the bands new Executive Officer. We welcome him to the band and look forward to working with him.

31/08/2011

Terry Camsey

It is with great sadness that we learned of the sudden Promotion to Glory of our friend and former International Staff Bandsman Major Terry Camsey. Terry was an inspirational member of the ISB for some 12 years and a noted Principal Cornet soloist of the band before moving to New York and assuming a similar position with the New York Staff Band, a position he held between 1976 and 1980. Subsequent to this, he and his wife Beryl moved to the west coast of the USA where they both became intensely involved in "church growth" within The Salvation Army.

For many of us it was a great joy to meet up with Terry and Beryl once again during the ISB120 weekend as well as at the Bowen, Bearcroft and Camsey concert at Bromley on the following Monday. Our prayers and thoughts therefore go out to Beryl and the family during this difficult time.

10/07/2011

ISB120

It hardly seems possible, after so many months of anticipation, planning and preparation, that the ISB 120 Celebration weekend is now over.

The Chicago, Japan and Melbourne Staff Bands have undertaken extensive tours of the United Kingdom, culminating in a long weekend in London where they were joined in the UK by the Amsterdam, Canadian, German and New York Staff Bands. 'Fringe' concerts in Basingstoke, Chelmsford, Hadleigh, Maidenhead, Maidstone and Stowmarket on Friday 3 June, along with a concert given by the New York Staff Band and The International Staff Band in London's Cadogan Hall, effectively set the stage for what had been billed as a spectacular weekend of celebrations. more...

10/06/2011

Bacup

On Saturday 21st of May 2011, The 2nd Rossendale Scout Group Band played alongside the ISB in The Royal Court Theatre, in Bacup. The organisation's preparations for this event began over 3 years ago, and the whole of Bacup, not to mention the band were overwhelmingly proud to have secured such a fantastic band for a great evening of music. more...

31/05/2011

Chatham

Each month the band visits a local Salvation Army centre to present a concert and lead Sunday worship. Our enagagement in February was to Chatham in Kent where Staff Bandsman Carl Woodman (Eb Tuba) is the Bandmaster.

Chatham Salvation Army's website has a report on the band's visit. Click to Read Report

07/03/2011