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We welcome into the Band Ian Grimshaw who joins us on solo cornet. We also welcome Sam Gibson who has transfered from the Young people's Band to NCB on 1st Cornet. Lastly we welcome Captain Johnathan Wylie, associate officer at Norwich Citadel into the Band on 2nd baritone.

Now Available! 125th Anniversary - 2 DVD Set! Only £6, + £2 postage and packing

Notes From The Bandroom
Michael Whybrow, NCB Secretary, Reporting (Posted, 12 March, 2008)   

Bandmaster Douglas Beattie to retire
Douglas Beattie, who has been our bandmaster for almost six years has announced his retirement from NCB which will take place on Sunday 30 March. With his wife Ann, they are to take up full-time work for The Salvation Army as spiritual leaders for the Lowestoft South Corps (church) with the title (rank) of Envoy.

A exemplary bandsman at Norwich Citadel for 40 years, Doug has held other senior leadership positions at the Corps. As our Bandmaster, he has been an inspirational leader. We shall miss the sensitivity and musicality as well as his occasional dry sense of humour which he brought to our rehearsals and performances.

We wish them both God's blessing as they embark on this new chapter in their lives. They remain firmly part of our fellowship and we look forward to keeping in touch with all that they do in these next few years of ministry in that seaside town, just an hour from Norwich.

Deputy Bandmaster Richard Woodrow is to take over from Douglas as our new Bandmaster. We look forward to his leadership and musical direction.  A third generation Salvationist and a product of the Norwich Citadel Corps, Richard was Young People's Band Leader for a number of years before taking up his role as Deputy Bandmaster. In his early years as a bandsman he was the Band's soprano cornet player, particularly remembered for his playing during our 1985 tour to the USA and Canada. Since 1993 he has been principal cornet and a virtuoso soloist, much in demand around the Army world.

ENFIELD CITADEL BAND to visit Norwich this Easter
Easter Saturday, 22 March at 7:00pm we have a visit from the ENFIELD CITADEL BAND who are to give a concert at Norwich Citadel. This will be a great event to hear this most famous of Salvation Army bands. They are here for one night only, so make sure you purchase your ticket and be part of this exciting evening of music-making. Tickets are £6 each (concessions £5) from Richard Woodrow, tel 01603 705 102 (evenings) or from the Administration office at the Citadel, tel 01603 620747 (office hours). Plan to be there!

Travels to Mombasa, Kenya
Regular readers will know that NCB have been supporting The Salvation Army's Mombasa Children's Home and the Mombasa Central Band and Choir as part of it's 125th Anniversary celebrations. Band Secretary Michael and Jean Whybrow visited Kenya recently to view the work that has taken place at the Home and to deliver uniforms to the Band and Choir...

We arrived in hot and bright sunshine after our overnight flight via Nairobi to Moi International Airport, Mombasa and were greeted by Captain Samuel Opuka, manager of the Mombasa Children's Home and four other salvationists. What a warm and enthusiastic welcome! Our journey in the Children's Home minibus to our hotel was via the Mombasa Central Corps hall to offload the uniforms and other items we had brought with us, six cases in all thanks to some generous baggage allowances from Kenya Airways. Careful negotiations had to be undertaken in Nairobi when Customs wanted to impose importation charges, thankfully they decided otherwise.

There were more salvationists to greet us at the hall as we unpacked the items. Eventually, some 2½ hours after our arrival in Mombasa, we were transported to our hotel through some chaotic traffic, not to mention the dust and stifling heat.

The hotel situated on the beach front and Indian Ocean was an oasis from the hustle and bustle of Mombasa town.  We enjoyed a day with Charles Muthama and his family at the hotel as our personal guests. Charles is the choir leader (they don't use the term 'songsters') and a Governor of the Children's Home. We have been in touch with each other frequently since our first visit last January,  Agnetah, his wife and four young children had never been in a swimming pool or the ocean before and she and the two eldest children even learned to swim that day. We were able to spoil them a little with gifts and a nice lunch.

The following day being Saturday (a non-working day) they returned (minus the children) along with Captain Samuel to take us to a nearby game park to view amongst others; giraffe, giant tortoise, hippo, buffalo, crocodiles and snakes. Charles and Agnetah returned home on their motor bike and Captain Samuel stayed with us for lunch before taking us to the hall. A blessing of the uniforms and instruments had been arranged by District Officer (and Corps Officer) Captain Benjamin Musilia. Saturday afternoon as well as Tuesday evening is usually band and choir rehearsal time, and all seemed to be present for this occasion. We also presented a brand-new Nikon digital camera for joint use by the Home and Corps, kindly donated by another charitable organisation.

Sunday morning we were collected at 8:30am by Captain Samuel in the minibus and taken to the hall where there was much excitement as everyone was putting on their new red jackets complete with Mombasa Central Band trimmings. The bandmaster, Samson arrived resplendent in his new white uniform and white cap. He received cheers from all assembled. The 35 bandsmen formed up along with the choir for a march around the city centre to show off their uniforms. The 40-strong choir were wearing their new white blouses and epaulettes also donated by NCB.

The march seemed to last for 30-40 minutes following which an hour-long open-air meeting was held. Even a collection was taken up with all salvationists putting something in the collection bag! The bandmaster testified saying that “he had a new cap and uniform today and was so happy, but that was not all, the man inside today was a new man also, hallelujah!”.

A further march to the hall ensued followed by an indoor service which lasted almost 3 hours. The Band played twice, the choir sang, the Home League timbrels gave a display and children from the Home, smartly turned out in white shirts and blue skirts/trousers sang two songs in English for our benefit. All services are usually in Swahili but we had a choir member each to translate for us. Jean sang a solo and I gave a testimony after which Jean was presented with a gift from the band and choir and also one from the corps. I was presented with a carved wooden chief or elders stick denoting that I am now a VIP at The Salvation Army in Mombasa! I was invited to conduct the band in “I'll go in the strength of the Lord”. One young bandsman gave his testimony saying that he had secured a place to train as a police officer. It later transpired that he had been brought up in the Children's Home.

Lunch was provided in the quarters, a small bungalow in the same compound as the hall. We enjoyed African specialties in the company of the bandmaster, band secretary, choir leader, corps sergeant major, and host officers plus one or two other corps local officers. How kind everyone is. Following this we were taken to the Children's Home about 3 miles away.

The home is situated in a leafy and quieter part of the city. 60 orphaned children live in this home, sleeping four to a room, two older and two young girls in each room, and the same for the boys. This arrangement is to foster a family environment where the older children help to look after the youngest.

After a welcome from the children and the giving of a small gift to each child, we were escorted to the corridor outside the new library where I had to unveil a plaque acknowledging “This library and study room complete with books has been provided by the Norwich Citadel Band, Norfolk, England as a thanksgiving to God for 125 years of service, 1882-2007”. I then had to cut a ribbon to officially open the library. As we walked into the room the children began to sing 'You are worthy to be praised', a very humbling but moving experience for us both. Once everyone had entered the room, one of the older girls spoke words of appreciation after which the children sang 'If human hearts are often tender and human minds compassion show.” We both had tears in our eyes by then.

The library had just been finished in time and is furnished with wooden bookcases lining all four walls stocked with books for study on many subjects as well as novels in both Swahili and English. There are four brand new tables and twenty chairs in the centre of the room. In addition, our funding has been able to provide two state-of-the-art HP computers complete with the latest educational aids such as an encyclopedia and dictionary. Captain Samuel and his wife Jane have discussed the provision of suitable educational material with THQ in Nairobi and have lovingly spent many hours selecting books and computer programmes for the children to use for their school assignments and homework. Afterwards we shared fellowship and refreshments with them in their quarters at the Home.

We have worked together with Captains Samuel and Jane on this project and we know them to be eminently suited as managers and surrogate parents at this wonderful establishment, set up so many years ago by our own Major Doris Green. She would have been proud to see the name of Norwich Citadel associated with the Home I feel sure.

A final journey with them to the airport was poignant. Tender farewells were exchanged and for us both this has been a life-changing experience. We are now inextricably linked with this place and so proud to have been able to be part of what has happened here. Norwich Citadel Band can be proud of it's contribution to both the Home and Corps in Mombasa. A heart-felt thank you to everyone who supported us in the raising of money for this most worthwhile project.

Despite all the news regarding the political unrest and violence in Kenya, we experienced absolutely no problems on our travels there and back.

God bless you and regards from all at NCB!
Michael Whybrow - Band Secretary

Our newest release, 'General's Command'  was released on the weekend of NCB's 125th Reunion at the end of October. This is a brand new recording featuring mainly soloists of the Band, past and present including James Maynard, trombone -  London Symphony Orchestra and Alwyn Green, bass trombone - City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, both former members of Norwich Citadel Band, now professional musicians who will be joining us as soloists for the Reunion.

Fine City Gold is an idea that our Band have had for a number of years. You see, we wanted to acknowledge the dedication and musical talents of our last four bandmasters. When we first had this idea it was to mark 50 years of cumulative service. This has now grown to 58 years!

	Bandmaster John Gibson was really the architect of the Band as we know it today. As a young man of 27 he assumed leadership of the Norwich Citadel Band and immediately began to lay the foundations, training us in musicality and interpretation. We have been so fortunate to have had such a sensitive and gifted musician leading us for 37 years (1949-1986). During his working years John was Head of Brass for Norfolk Education and was a well-known figure in the Norfolk musical scene, conducting the Norfolk Symphonic Wind Band. John (or Jack as he is known to us) continues to inspire us at the piano each Sunday during our services. A measure of his continuing interest in the Band is that he was in the recording studio recently, providing assistance and advice, particularly with two of his own compositions that we were recording. During John's leadership, the Band were privileged on three occasions to give performances at London's Royal Albert Hall and also another at the Queen Elizabeth Hall. Overseas tours were made to the Netherlands (1959), Sweden (1971) and the USA and Canada (1985) in addition to several recordings, TV and radio broadcasts.
	Bandmaster Robert Munn who had been our deputy bandmaster for a number of years, then assumed leadership of the Band, successfully directing us for 11 years (1986-1997). He maintained the musical output of NCB and we enjoyed his friendly and infectious style of leadership. Due to his time as a bandmaster in London at Woolwich Temple and his membership of the ISB in the 1960s, we were, through his many contacts and friendships, able to arrange several high profile events for our Band. During his working years, he was firstly a peripatetic music teacher and latterly Head of Music at a local High School. During Bob's leadership we undertook tours to Scotland (1988), Norway (1990) and then South Africa (1993) which saw the Band breaking new ground as the first Salvation Army band ever to visit the African continent. This was heady stuff! We were greeted so enthusiastically by thousands of people, all colours of this Rainbow Nation and treated with acclaim wherever we went. It was during Bob's time as Bandmaster that we made our first CD and other cassette and CD recordings as well as TV appearances. Robert lives in retirement on the north Norfolk coast.
	Bandmaster Ron Young came to Norwich following a 25 year career with the RAF, playing as principal euphonium in the Central Band of the Royal Air Force. After studies at the University of Norwich, he embarked on a music teaching career in our beautiful county of Norfolk. At this time and following Bob's retirement, Ron accepted leadership of our Band (1997-2002). His style was different to Bob's but we relished his rehearsals and enjoyed his musical direction. During his term as our Bandmaster we travelled to London to perform at the Queen Elizabeth Hall and undertook a second tour to the USA (1998) with great success as well as making three more CDs and several TV appearances. In 2002 Ron decided to move to rural France where he still lives.
	Bandmaster Douglas Beattie was appointed in 2002 following Ron's five year sojourn. Doug has been a member of our Band for many years and also a fine cornet soloist. Whilst living in Scotland, he received training in trumpet/cornet performance at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music. At one time Doug spent a period as a member of the solo cornet section of the ISB and during that time studied at the Guildhall School of Music in London. Doug had been a deputy bandmaster at Romford whilst in the ISB and also a Songster Leader (choirmaster) at Norwich Citadel so we already knew of his talents in directing music. We were very pleased when he agreed to become our bandmaster. During the five years that Doug has been our Bandmaster, we have performed in London's Royal Festival Hall, toured Sweden (2004) and made 3 CD recordings including this one as well as TV appearances. An overseas tour to Switzerland in 2008 is planned as is a BBC recording for a Christmas Day radio broadcast. Our next recording "General's Command" is scheduled to be released during our 125th Anniversary Reunion Weekend in October 2007.
Fine City Gold is available for purchase online. Listen to samples of each track on our Recordings page.