Salvation Army Symphonic Wind Ensemble
Did you see our feature in the Salvationist?
We had a lovely double page spread in August 2020, based on an interview with our Musical Director Andrew Mackereth.
Read the full issue (1 August 2020) online here.
Like musicians the world over, we can’t meet to rehearse or perform at the moment. This weekend we should have been at Morley, but instead we’ve been playing at home – and thought we’d give you a bit of an insight into what that looks like…
The soundtrack to this video is SASWE playing Keep Me Praising by our very own Musical Director, Andrew Mackereth.
To learn more about SASWE, to book us for a future engagement, or to enquire about joining the Ensemble, please visit our contact page or send us a message over on facebook.
The visit of The Salvation Army Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Musical Director- Andrew Mackereth) to Hull Citadel resulted in a wonderful evening. The well selected programme using music from the pens of William Himes, Kevin Horner, Steve Gibson, Alan Laken, Michael Babb and Andrew Mackereth gave a well balanced of entertainment with a strong message.
Vocalist, Mel Page, contributed with some amazing singing which added to the feel of the evening.
Between items, M D Andrew told some amusing stories of the time he spent in “ULL” as a youth when his parents served as Officers at Hull’s William Booth Mansions.
The final item of the festival was a new composition by Andrew entitled “ Now I See” which featured the band and vocalists, a fitting end to a very moving evening that will be remembered for a long time by all those who attended.
Videos of some of the items from the evening can be seen on Hull Citadel Salvation Army Community Church Facebook page.
Michael Kerridge
Hull Citadel C P R
We are super proud of one of our Founders, John Davie, who recently received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Music Teacher Awards 2019.
Watch the video here >>
The welcome return visit of the Salvation Army Symphonic Wind Ensemble (SASWE) to WORTHING marked its own 25th anniversary and the 135th of the home corps band. As the opening piece stated, it was a ‘Cause for Celebration’. However, there was from the start no doubt that it was Jesus who was celebrated throughout the weekend.
The Saturday evening festival was compered by the SASWE co-founder and bandmaster Andrew Mackereth in his inimitable user-friendly style. He had immediate rapport with the audience which included some who came simply because of a mention in the local paper. The music comprised compositions and arrangements by present and former SASWE members Alan Laken, Michael Babb, Kevin Horner and the bandmaster, and included thought-provoking reflection from flautist Lieutenant Kate Gregory and three gospel songs from the corps songsters.
Five members of Worthing Band were among the SASWE instrumentalists – six if you include corps officer Major Marian Parker who sat in with the percussion on the Sunday. The morning worship took as its theme ‘There is Room’, the title of a new piece by Bandmaster Mackereth based on the song ‘Thou didst leave thy throne’. Percussionist Mark Hamilton and clarinettist Rachel Frost testified, and SASWE chaplain and saxophonist Peter Bale gave the Bible message. The band played again after the benediction, and when the bandmaster turned to the congregation with the remark ‘Do you want another?’ the immediate and enthusiastic response was evidence of the attractiveness and effectiveness of the SASWE mission.
SASWE (Salvation Army Symphonic Wind Ensemble ) assembled in Bristol from all parts of the UK territory to help raise much needed funds for The Kenya Trust.
Hosted by Bristol Easton the Saturday concert was presented at Staple Hill, due to renovations taking place in the host corps building. A full hall enjoyed a varied programme, compered in an amiable fashion by SASWE’s leader, Andrew Mackereth, supported by Bristol Easton Songsters. A highlight was both groups combining to perform Dry your tears Africa which gave a real flavour of the continent.
Sunday morning worship was conducted by the group at Bristol Citadel where congregations from both Easton and Citadel combined, and were supported by the Citadel Songster Brigade. The week-end concluded with lunch in the Community Hall at Bristol Easton, for members of SASWE and their hosts.
A total of over £3000 was raised which will go towards providing improved library facilities for the SA Children’s Home in Mombasa. The Trustees acknowledge thanks to Staple Hill and Bristol Citadel corps and SASWE who provided a Christian music message with a difference. – MO
A group of SASWE members were honoured to play at the wedding of the year this summer.
Thank you to Ellie and Josh for having us – it was a truly wonderful celebration of love and friendship and we were honoured to play a small part.
Due to works taking place at Bristol Eastern Salvation Army, the venue for SASWE’s visit to Bristol for The Kenya Trust has changed.
FESTIVAL OF MUSIC
Saturday 6th October, 7pm
BRISTOL STAPLE HILL SALVATION ARMY CORPS
21 Broad Street, Staple Hill, Bristol BS16 5LN
SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP
Sunday 7th October, 10am
BRISTOL CITADEL SALVATION ARMY
6 Ashley Road, Bristol BS6 5NL
Rachel Frost is a Theology Student and is studying at Edinburgh University, and hails from Cambridgeshire. We asked her to put her first impressions of joining SASWE as a clarinet player into words.
To say I was nervous about my first trip with the Salvation Army Symphonic Wind Ensemble is an understatement. I was still relatively new to the Salvation Army, having come to my local corps in Edinburgh as a student the previous year. This anxiety was centred mainly about a trip to Glasgow as, coming from Edinburgh, this was a place I was warned never to visit. None the less I stood waiting for my 6.30am train having been up for an hour pondering what else I was nervous about. The people were the next one, what would they be like? Would they be welcoming and friendly like at the Corps, or would they be a bit standoffish, especially given I was not a member? Then there was the music, I may have been a decent musician at school but that was compared to a limited number, how would I compare with the other musicians? Then there was the train travel, the drive to Shipley with two strangers, and a night Billeting with a couple who I had never met.
However, I am very pleased to say that none of these worries were validated. The people were some of the friendliest I had ever met and immediately made me feel welcome, by the end of the day I felt like I known some for years such was the genuine nature of their friendship. The music was wonderful, tunes that I both knew and did not know intermingled within a program of general fun. Whilst I can’t deny I struggled with some of the runs and the pace of “Just like John” I played everything smiling inwardly and outwardly such was the skill in the arrangements. My Train travel and inaugural trip to Glasgow were both successful. The drive to the concert and the return were both fantastic fun, and taught me an awful lot of practical jokes to play on brass players! The couple I billeted were wonderful and I had the best breakfast of Pancakes that morning. All in all it was a great trip and reflected many of the themes that first led me to the Salvation Army. I now look forward to the next gig and the chance for further chat and fellowship (just nit when we are supposed to be rehearsing).
I am a bit of an ecclesiastical all-sort, not really settling in a number of churches. I been a Methodist, Baptist, Church of England and had dabbled in the free church when I first came to university. All these churches had been good, but had not filled the fellowship category that I looked for in each new establishment. I had tried a couple of churches when I first came up to uni but none of them seemed to suit. I’d been emailed by the ‘Corps Officer’ (who I assumed was the leader, having never heard the term before) of the Salvation Army City Corps of Edinburgh and, as it was a 20 minute walk away from my halls, decided I’d go and have a look. The Corps immediately made me feel welcome, I felt taken into their family. The Corps are still, a year and a half later, a wonderful family. I have any number of adoptive parents and grandparents, as well as some siblings! The preaching and the music are all wonderful but what keeps me going back and what I miss when I can’t be there is the family. This is why I have chosen to stay in the Salvation Army, the fellowship and family element that they offer to all people.