JULY 25-31, 2024 – The New York Staff Band (NYSB) recently made its annual pilgrimage to Old Orchard Beach (OOB), Maine, with a powerful and spiritually enriching ministry weekend at the OOB Camp Meetings. Over several days, the band offered a series of performances that offered their deep commitment to spreading the message of hope and faith through music.
The weekend began on Friday evening with a concert at the Old Orchard Beach Corps, alongside the Eastern Territory Staff Songsters. This is very much a friends and family concert where most of those in attendance had a connection to either musical ensemble. where the NYSB captivated the audience from the first note.
The concert opened with “Triumphant” by Marcus Venables, a piece that set a vibrant and energetic tone for the evening and included an introduction of each member of the band.
Following this, the band performed “Fantasy of Joy” by Fredrick Schjelderup, a composition that lived up to its name by filling the hall with an infectious sense of exuberance.
Continuing the evening’s program, the NYSB joined with audience members with a brand-new arrangement of “Victory in Jesus” by Marcus Venables used for congregational singing. This was followed by a stirring rendition of Joel Colliers solo piece, “Before the Throne”, performed by Aaron VanderWeele.
The concert took a reflective turn with “My Solid Rock” by Sam Creamer, a piece that exuded a sense of steadfastness and assurance in the face of life’s challenges. The band’s interpretation was both emotive and reassuring, providing a moment of spiritual reflection for the audience.
One of the highlights of the evening was “Triquetra” by Peter Graham. This work showcased the band’s ability to handle intricate musical structures with ease and showcased the bands power and the ability switch gears quickly.
After a brief intermission, the concert resumed with “Wake the Dawn’ by Joel Collier before the former bandmaster of the New York Staff Band, Ron Waiksnoris conducted the band through “Anthem of the Free.”
The evening continued with a reflective moment with “Renewal” by Harold Burgmayer. This was then followed by devotional from Bandmaster Derek Lance. The concert concluded with Marcus Venables fabulous piece, “Concurrence” which was performed with great passion and conviction. The night concluded with an arrangement of “All will be well” by Kevin Norbury, which was used as a sung benediction, with the congregation join the band.
On Saturday, the NYSB participated in the Old Orchard Beach Camp Meeting held at the Pavilion. The evening’s music opened with Stephen Bulla’s “Praise Him!”, and was followed by a new congregational song arrangement “Come Thou Fount” arranged by Gavin Whitehouse.
The bands major contribution of the night was “Lord of Sea and Sky” by Martin Cordner, a majestic and evocative piece that captured the grandeur of creation and the omnipotence of God. The richness of the harmonies and the grandeur of the melodies were brought to life by the NYSB’s performance, leaving a lasting impression on the congregation.
The Sunday morning worship service at the Camp Meetings began with “Battle Belongs” by Simon Morton and was followed by “Procession to Covenant “by William Himes, a piece that was performed with great dignity and reverence. The band’s performance of “And Can it Be,” arranged by Andrew Wainwright, was a highlight of the service, with its powerful and emotionally charged interpretation resonating deeply with the congregation.
The afternoon concert at the OOB Pier was a lively and engaging event that featured a mix of traditional and contemporary pieces. The concert opened with “Fantasy of Joy” by Fredrick Schjelderup and “Triumphant” by Marcus Venables, both of which were performed with enthusiasm and energy. Other items included on the program were William Himes’ “Motivation”, Richard Phillips “Amazing Grace”, “New York, New York” and “Stars and Stripes Forever.”
The final concert of the weekend took place on Tuesday evening at the OOB Pavilion, where the NYSB once again demonstrated their musical prowess and spiritual depth. The concert opened with Kenneth Downie’s “King of Heaven,” and followed by Paul Sharman’s beautiful arrangement of “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus,” a tender and reflective piece that was performed with great sensitivity.
The program also included Erik Leidzen’s “Song of the Brother” performed with great precision from Aaron VanderWeele and Kevin Norbury’s “Badinage,” featuring tuba standout, Chris Webster. The first concluded with Martin Cordner’s “Uniquity,” which has quickly become a fan and band favorite.
The second half opened with Christopher Bond’s “Soaring the Heights,” which was featured just before a special moment, with outgoing NYSB Executive Officer, Lt Colonel Kathleen Steele had a chance to conduct the band in her last concert with the band.
The concert concluded with Marcus Venables’ “Everywhere,” which is full of energy and passion from minute one. The band delivered this in a powerful way. The weekend wrapped up the only way it could, with alumni of the band joining the band on stage for the singing of “Rock of Ages.” It was a blessed weekend of music and ministry with the New York Staff Band.
