I have only been in the local S.A. for about 3 years now, prior to that the Newf. and I attended Mundy Pond S.A. in St. John's, Newfoundland a few times, and the Salvation Army in Red Deer, Alberta a few more times.
Although I am not musical, I have been impressed with the Brass Band music and the well trained musicians that play. Recently we had The Canadian Staff Band at our citadel, and once more it drove home the high caliber of people engaged in this field of service.
At a Sunday Afternoon Musical in which the Staff Band played along with our youth band, and the children's band, I think I saw why the musicians are some of the best in the community. They are far from second rate.
Band members appear to start as young as 3 and 4, some are hardly big enough to hold the horn. By the time they hit 6 or 8 they are playing in the services. I don't know if this is only true locally or not.
It seems that by the time they hit high school they can hold their own in the adult band. As one local high school music teacher commented, "I like to get the Salvation Army Kids in my class because they know their stuff. They can play their instrument and read the music....."
I have worked with some of the young people and I believe that one of the major reasons they are staying in the church is their love of music and the teaching that they are receiving. While that may be the wrong reason for staying in the church, it does mean that every year they stay within the church walls it is one more year to reach them with the Gospel and help give them a spiritual basis on which to face the work-a-day world. That alone makes the music program of the church worth while.
I have often commented to the Newf. over the last couple of years that I wish we had attended the S.A. when our own boys where younger, if for no other reason than the high quality of musical training they would have received.
No use crying over spilled milk but I'm fully behind the musical training that I see in the Salvation Army.
Although I am not musical, I have been impressed with the Brass Band music and the well trained musicians that play. Recently we had The Canadian Staff Band at our citadel, and once more it drove home the high caliber of people engaged in this field of service.
At a Sunday Afternoon Musical in which the Staff Band played along with our youth band, and the children's band, I think I saw why the musicians are some of the best in the community. They are far from second rate.
Band members appear to start as young as 3 and 4, some are hardly big enough to hold the horn. By the time they hit 6 or 8 they are playing in the services. I don't know if this is only true locally or not.
It seems that by the time they hit high school they can hold their own in the adult band. As one local high school music teacher commented, "I like to get the Salvation Army Kids in my class because they know their stuff. They can play their instrument and read the music....."
I have worked with some of the young people and I believe that one of the major reasons they are staying in the church is their love of music and the teaching that they are receiving. While that may be the wrong reason for staying in the church, it does mean that every year they stay within the church walls it is one more year to reach them with the Gospel and help give them a spiritual basis on which to face the work-a-day world. That alone makes the music program of the church worth while.
I have often commented to the Newf. over the last couple of years that I wish we had attended the S.A. when our own boys where younger, if for no other reason than the high quality of musical training they would have received.
No use crying over spilled milk but I'm fully behind the musical training that I see in the Salvation Army.
