 |
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. |
|
