International Staff Band
Encyclopedia
The International Staff Band (or ISB) is the premier brass band
of The Salvation Army
.
history generally acknowledges 7 October 1891, the date on which Commissioner Bramwell Booth
brought the 'International Headquarters Staff Band' into being, as the official starting point for the ISB's existence. The International Staff Band is a brass band based at The Salvation Army’s UK Headquarters in London
and it exists to promote the highest standards of Salvation Army banding and to spread the message of the Christian
gospel through its musical ministry.
, Manchester
, Bristol
, Norwich
and Maidstone
. While based in the UK, the band has an international reputation and ministry, undertaking regular overseas tours.
events held in venues including London's Royal Albert Hall
, Wembley Conference Centre and Royal Festival Hall
. It is featured frequently in national television and radio broadcasts including BBC Songs of Praise, Radio 2’s Sunday Half Hour, Listen to the Band and GMTV.
In addition to their activities in the UK, the International Staff Band tours abroad regularly - recent trips have included America
, Switzerland
, Australia
, New Zealand
and Japan
. The band has released numerous CDs of Salvation Army music, including a collaboration with Black Dyke Band
to produce a double CD recording of the published works of Wilfred Heaton (The Heaton Collection). This recording has received critical acclaim from the brass band world's leading publications, several of which selected it as their CD of the Year in 2002. They released 'The Kingdom Triumphant' in June 2003 and also produced a compilation recording of music by Eric Ball to mark the centenary of his birth in October 2003. They travelled to North America in March 2004 for a two-week tour that included visits to Toronto
, New York
and Chicago
and again in 2010 for a ten day tour that included visits to Los Angeles
, Phoenix
, Las Vegas
, Sacramento
and Seattle.
In recent years, the ISB has also represented Salvation Army bands at the National Brass Band Championships’ Gala Concerts in the Royal Albert Hall, London, as well as at other significant brass banding occasions. These occasions have seen them sharing the platform with groups such as Black Dyke Band
, Symphonic Brass of London and the Don Lusher Big Band. In October 2003, they represented The Salvation Army in a special concert to commemorate the centenary of the birth of Eric Ball. SP&S have released a DVD of this concert, which also featured Black Dyke Band.
The International Staff Band is led by Dr Stephen Cobb, who is also the Salvation Army's Music Director for the United Kingdom
Territory with the Republic of Ireland
.
In June 2011, the band celebrated its 120th anniversary with a weekend of events in London. The centrepiece was a day long brass extravaganza in the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday 4th June to which all eight Salvation Army staff bands of the world took part.
The International Staff Band has made many recordings.
CD recordings include:
Heritage Series Vol. 3 - Music from the 1950s (2011)
Heritage Series Vol. 2 - Music from the 1940s (2010)
Seize the Day (2010)
So Glad! (2010)
The Peter Graham Collection (2009)
Heritage Series Vol. 1 - Music from the 1930s (2009)
Daystar (2008)
Supremacy (2007)
Christmas Tidings (2006)
St Magnus (2006)
Origins (2005)
Jubilee (2004)
The Kingdom Triumphant (2003)
Glory Glory (2001)
Renaissance (2000)
Odyssey (1998)
Manuscripts (1997)
Partita (1996)
Trumpet Call (1995)
A Fanfare of Praise (1994)
Blazon (1991)
Perspectives (1990)
The King's Crusader (1989)
Goldcrest (1988)
Brass band
A brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting entirely of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands , but are usually more correctly termed military bands, concert...
of The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
.
History
The Salvation ArmyThe Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
history generally acknowledges 7 October 1891, the date on which Commissioner Bramwell Booth
Bramwell Booth
Bramwell Booth, CH was the first Chief of Staff and the second General of The Salvation Army , succeeding his father, William Booth.-Biography:...
brought the 'International Headquarters Staff Band' into being, as the official starting point for the ISB's existence. The International Staff Band is a brass band based at The Salvation Army’s UK Headquarters in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and it exists to promote the highest standards of Salvation Army banding and to spread the message of the Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
gospel through its musical ministry.
The band
All bandsmen and women are actively involved in their local Salvation Army Corps, many holding leadership positions. They give their time freely to this additional ministry. The members of the band are drawn from Salvation Army centres as far afield as LeedsLeeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
and Maidstone
Maidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
. While based in the UK, the band has an international reputation and ministry, undertaking regular overseas tours.
Schedule
The International Staff Band makes monthly visits to Salvation Army centres around the UK, presenting musical concerts and leading worship and open-air meetings. On a normal weekend Corps visit, the band will present a concert on a Saturday evening, lead the Sunday worship meetings, and sometimes present a further concert at the local Salvation Army Church on Sunday afternoon. The band also participates in most major Salvation ArmySalvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
events held in venues including London's Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
, Wembley Conference Centre and Royal Festival Hall
Royal Festival Hall
The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,900-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge. It is a Grade I listed building - the first post-war building to become so protected...
. It is featured frequently in national television and radio broadcasts including BBC Songs of Praise, Radio 2’s Sunday Half Hour, Listen to the Band and GMTV.
In addition to their activities in the UK, the International Staff Band tours abroad regularly - recent trips have included America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. The band has released numerous CDs of Salvation Army music, including a collaboration with Black Dyke Band
Black Dyke Band
The Black Dyke Band, formerly the Black Dyke Mills Band, is one of the oldest and best-known brass bands in the world. The band has won many prizes and competitions over the years...
to produce a double CD recording of the published works of Wilfred Heaton (The Heaton Collection). This recording has received critical acclaim from the brass band world's leading publications, several of which selected it as their CD of the Year in 2002. They released 'The Kingdom Triumphant' in June 2003 and also produced a compilation recording of music by Eric Ball to mark the centenary of his birth in October 2003. They travelled to North America in March 2004 for a two-week tour that included visits to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and again in 2010 for a ten day tour that included visits to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
, Sacramento
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
and Seattle.
In recent years, the ISB has also represented Salvation Army bands at the National Brass Band Championships’ Gala Concerts in the Royal Albert Hall, London, as well as at other significant brass banding occasions. These occasions have seen them sharing the platform with groups such as Black Dyke Band
Black Dyke Band
The Black Dyke Band, formerly the Black Dyke Mills Band, is one of the oldest and best-known brass bands in the world. The band has won many prizes and competitions over the years...
, Symphonic Brass of London and the Don Lusher Big Band. In October 2003, they represented The Salvation Army in a special concert to commemorate the centenary of the birth of Eric Ball. SP&S have released a DVD of this concert, which also featured Black Dyke Band.
The International Staff Band is led by Dr Stephen Cobb, who is also the Salvation Army's Music Director for the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Territory with the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
.
In June 2011, the band celebrated its 120th anniversary with a weekend of events in London. The centrepiece was a day long brass extravaganza in the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday 4th June to which all eight Salvation Army staff bands of the world took part.
Recordings
In 2008, The Salvation Army signed an exclusive deal with Universal Music. The band recorded the album, Together, which went on sale on 24 November and entered at number 20 in the UK album charts.The International Staff Band has made many recordings.
CD recordings include:
Heritage Series Vol. 3 - Music from the 1950s (2011)
Heritage Series Vol. 2 - Music from the 1940s (2010)
Seize the Day (2010)
So Glad! (2010)
The Peter Graham Collection (2009)
Heritage Series Vol. 1 - Music from the 1930s (2009)
Daystar (2008)
Supremacy (2007)
Christmas Tidings (2006)
St Magnus (2006)
Origins (2005)
Jubilee (2004)
The Kingdom Triumphant (2003)
Glory Glory (2001)
Renaissance (2000)
Odyssey (1998)
Manuscripts (1997)
Partita (1996)
Trumpet Call (1995)
A Fanfare of Praise (1994)
Blazon (1991)
Perspectives (1990)
The King's Crusader (1989)
Goldcrest (1988)
See also
- Salvation Army BandSalvation Army BandA Salvation Army brass band is a brass band affiliated with a Corps, Division or Territory of the Salvation Army. In society, a Salvation Army band playing in public places during Christian events in the calendar such as Christmas has become a part of seasonal customs particularly in the...
- Maidenhead Citadel BandMaidenhead Citadel BandMaidenhead Citadel Band is a Salvation Army Band and part of the Maidenhead Corps of The Salvation Army. For over 120 years the band has consistently contributed to the worship and evangelical outreach promoted by the Maidenhead Corps in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.-Brief...
- Chalk Farm Salvation Army BandChalk Farm Salvation Army BandThe Chalk Farm Band is brass band of the Salvation Army located at the Salvation Army Centre in Haverstock Hill, Chalk Farm, London, England. It is one of the best known brass bands of the Salvation Army in the UK.-Brief history:...
- Melbourne Staff BandMelbourne Staff BandThe Melbourne Staff Band is the premier brass band of the Salvation Army in Australia -History:From its beginnings in Adelaide the Salvation Army spread rapidly and soon reached Victoria where the first corps in the state was opened in December 1882 at North Melbourne...
- PSA Brass Band