International Staff Band

The International Staff Band (ISB) is the premier brass band of the Salvation Army

History

Salvation Army history generally acknowledges 7 October 1891, the date on which Commissioner Bramwell Booth brought the 'International Headquarters Staff Band' into being, as the official starting point for the ISB's existence. The International Staff Band is a brass band based at The Salvation Army’s UK Headquarters in London and it exists to promote the highest standards of Salvation Army banding and, more importantly, to spread the message of the Christian gospel by presenting the best in musical ministry.

The Band

All the bandsmen and women are members of The Salvation Army and are actively involved in their local Salvation Army Corps, many holding leadership positions within those Corps. They give their time freely to this additional ministry. The members of the band are drawn from Salvation Army centres as far afield Manchester, Bristol, Norwich and Maidstone - and many other centres in between! Whilst based in the UK, the band has a truly international reputation and ministry, undertaking regular overseas tours.

chedule

The International Staff Band makes regular visits to Salvation Army centres around the UK on a monthly basis, presenting musical concerts and leading worship and open-air meetings. On a normal weekend Corps visit, the band will present a concert on the Saturday evening and then lead the Sunday worship meetings, and sometimes present a further concert, at the local Salvation Army Church on the Sunday afternoon. The band also participates in most major Salvation Army events held in venues including London's Royal Albert Hall, Wembley Conference Centre and Royal Festival Hall. It features frequently in national television and radio broadcasts including BBC Songs of Praise, Radio 2’s Sunday Half Hour, Listen to the Band and GMTV.

In addition to their activities in the UK, the International Staff Band tours abroad regularly - and recent trips have included America, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. The band has released numerous CDs of Salvation Army music, including a recent collaboration with the Black Dyke Band to produce a double CD recording of the published works of Wilfred Heaton (The Heaton Collection) - one of the Brass Band movement's most revered composers! This recording has received critical acclaim from all of the Brass Band world's leading publications, several of which selected it as their CD of the Year in 2002. They released a new recording, entitled 'The Kingdom Triumphant', in June 2003 and also produced a compilation recording of music by Eric Ball to mark the centenary of his birth in October 2003. They travelled to North America in March 2004 for a two-week tour that included visits to Toronto, New York and Chicago.

In recent years, the ISB has also been pleased to represent Salvation Army bands at the National Brass Band Championships’ Gala Concerts in the Royal Albert Hall, London, as well as other significant brass banding occasions. These occasions have seen them sharing the platform with groups such as the Black Dyke Band, London Symphonic Brass and the Don Lusher Big Band. In October 2003, they represented The Salvation Army in a special concert to commemorate the centenary of the birth of Eric Ball. SP&S Ltd have released a DVD of this remarkable concert, which also featured the Black Dyke Band.

The International Staff Band is led by Dr Stephen Cobb, who is also the Salvation Army's Music Director for the United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland.

Recordings

The International Staff Band has many recordings over the years utilising the medium of the era.

Daystar (2008)Supremacy (2007)Renaissance (2000)Manuscripts (1997)Trumpet Call (1995)A Fanfare of Praise (1994)Blazon (1991)Goldcrest (1988)

ee also

*Salvation Army Band
*Maidenhead Citadel Band
*Chalk Farm Salvation Army Band
*Melbourne Staff Band
*PSA Brass Band

External links

* [http://www.theisb.com International Staff Band]
* [http://www.brassbandinformation.co.uk/salvation-army-bands.html Salvation Army Bands]