Emily Ewing performs a cornet solo, Knowing You (Craig Woodland) 

On Thursday, May 19, 2016, the Canadian Staff Band (CSB) travelled to Los Angeles, California, accompanied by Commissioner Susan McMillan, territorial commander, to participate in a North American Brass Celebration in honour of the Western Territory Staff Band's (WTSB) 10th anniversary.

The celebration featured the four staff bands and one territorial band of the five Salvation Army territories in Canada and the United States—the CSB, the WTSB, the Chicago Staff Band, the New York Staff Band and the Southern Territorial Band.

After an intense eight-hour rehearsal on Friday, the festivities began on Saturday morning with outdoor concerts by the territorial and divisional youth bands of the U.S.A. Western Territory, held at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center.

On Sunday morning, the CSB led worship at Torrance Corps, with a message by Commissioner Susan McMillan

In the afternoon, each of the five bands presented their own 30-minute solo concert. The CSB performed new works by several Canadian composers: Festival Prelude—Richmond (Jonathan Rowsell);  Light Song (Major Ken Smith); a cornet solo Knowing You (Craig Woodland) featuring Emily Ewing; and the trombone trio In His Time (Noel Brooks). The CSB also presented two world premieres:  Undaunted (William Pitts) and Overture— Coronation (Kevin Norbury). The band's presentation had moments of reflection and meditation, as well as energy and excitement. The response from the audience was both reverent and enthusiastic.

The evening concert featured a massed band with many new works written for the occasion, including a major work based on the book The Pilgrim's Progress, with narration and offstage fanfare by Philip Wilby.

On Sunday morning, Commissioner McMillan and the CSB led worship at Torrance Corps. It was a powerful message, supported by Spirit-inspired music. A Canadian couple who went to the service to hear the band rededicated their lives to the Lord, and made the decision to return to church at Torrance Corps.

Commissioner McMillan shares a light moment with the CSB during the march of witness

On Sunday afternoon, the massed band paraded down the main street of Disneyland—“the most magical place on earth”—with flags flying and brass blazing, proclaiming the gospel in a march of witness.