Brisbane City Temple Band

Since its establishment in 1885, The Salvation Army's Brisbane City Temple Corps (No. 2) [ [http://www.salvos.com/brisbane/ BCT website] ] has used music to convey its gospel message and attract new people to its meetings. At the forefront of this ministry for over 100 years has been the Brisbane City Temple Band (or "Temple Band"). Having toured nationally and internationally as well as performing on ABC Radio, the Temple Band has served its corps, community and city well.

Purpose

As well as aiding worship during Sunday meetings the band plays at Civic functions, hospitals, nursing homes and retirement centres. By arrangement with the Brisbane City Council the "Temple Band" makes a musical contribution to the city's community life with regular recitals in Brisbane public gardens and parks. In the past the Temple Band has performed at regular engagements with the Australian Broadcasting Commission for nation-wide broadcasts and television performances. A feature of the band's activities that has stood the test of time is the Sunday evening open-air meeting in the Queen Street Mall to which a large crowd is regularly attracted.

Bandmaster Lineage

Although the Temple Band has a history that reaches back over 100 years, it has only served under the leadership of seven bandmasters (or B.M's) throughout its existence including, in the earlier years, B.M's Mick Berghoffer, Percy Gridley and Dave Waugh.

Leonard Baxter was commissioned as a bandsman of the Temple Band in 1924 and took over the leadership of the band in 1932. B.M Baxter held this position for forty-four years, except for a period of war service when the band was in the capable hands of B.M H. Armitage.

B.M Malcolm Carter became Bandmaster after moving residence from Melbourne , Victoria in 1986. When B.M Carter retired from his position in 1994 B.M Mark Everitt, who had been involved with the Temple band well over 15 years already, was then handed the baton. He stepped down from his role in 2000 and was replaced by accomplished composer Barrie Gott.

The Current Bandmaster, Stuart Lang, moved from Wollongong corps in early 2007. [ [http://www.salvoaudio.com/bands/brisbane_city_band.htm Catalogue of live BCT Band recorings] ]

The Band

* 11 or more cornets
* 1 Eb soprano cornet
* 1 flugel horn
* 4 tenor horns
* 4 Baritones
* 6 trombones
* 1 bass trombone
* 2 euphoniums
* 3 or 4 EEb and BBb basses
* percussion - normally drum kit or timpani

Tours

Although not as well travelled as many Sydney based corps, the Temple Band has been on several tours to Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania. In 2007, Bandmaster Lang took the band to the Sydney Congress celebrating 125 years of the Salvation Army.

Concerts & Recordings

The Temple Band has performed with many other Salvation Army bands over the years, but more recently it has branched out and performed with secular brass bands, such as Excelsior Brass [ [http://www.4barsrest.com/reviews/concerts/con364.asp Review of BCT Band and Excelsior Brass concert, November 2006] ] . To date the Temple Band has recorded several Christmas albums and have also released the 1993 album "The Gospel Story" [ [http://www.harrogateband.org/misc26c.htm Brass Band Recording Index] ] .

Membership

For some time, to be able to join the band, it was necessary to be enrolled as a Soldier of The Salvation Army. This rule, however, has been relaxed in recent years, but under the pretence that the individual is looking to be enrolled at some point in the immediate future. Many people were wary of allowing this to occur, but having seen the impact joining the band has on younger players, soon warmed to it.

References