A buzz of excitement could be felt throughout the capacity crowd gathered at London Citadel, Ont., as the Chicago Staff Band, led by Bandmaster William Himes, took the stage. The staff band opened the concert with Stephen Bulla's 'Praise Him,' and it was immediately evident that they were in fine form. Bandmaster John Lam of the host London Citadel Band welcomed them and could not resist the opportunity to remind the visitors of the recent gold medal hockey game played between the two countries at the Vancouver Winter Olympics. It was all in good fun, and of course Bill Himes responded in kind.

Beth Cooper, the first soloist for the evening, stepped forward to play two movements from Himes' 'Concertino for Flugel and Band.' Cooper gave a confident and assured performance of the Rondo Burlesca, and Tarantella movements. The band then performed Peter Graham's 'Sirocco.' The title comes from the name of the wind that originates in the Sahara, and sweeps across the Mediterranean and southern Europe. Three countries are featured, with folk songs from Italy (Tarantella), Spain (Romanza) and Greece (Sirtaki). Also featured was a flugel horn solo played by Marty Thomas into the bell of a BB tuba to create a mandolin sound.

Continuing with music from the pen of Peter Graham, the next soloist, Brett Tolcher, performed the trombone solo, 'The Guardian.' Tolcher is a university music student, and was recently featured as piano accompanist for the Chicago Staff Band's vocal chorus number, 'Soon and Very Soon.' The first half concluded with Himes' jubilant overture, 'Cause for Celebration,' which features the doxology, the 'Old Hundredth.'

To kick off the second half, the cornets formed up in fanfare formation to present Stephen Bulla's exciting 'Concertante.' As a contrast to this classical music, the staff band moved into a New Orleans style arrangement by Eric Alexander of 'Lord Lord, You Sure Been Good to Me.' Peggy Thomas, the long-serving principal cornet of the staff band, joined her son, Shaun, to present Ivor Bosanko's duet for euphonium and cornet entitled 'For Time and Eternity.' Written in similar vein as 'I'll Not Turn Back,' this melodic music from Bosanko is based on the lyrics of Diane O'Brien, which the audience were able to follow from the printed program.

To conclude the evening, Himes chose Paul Lovatt-Cooper's popular work 'Vitae Aeternum,' which features three Salvation Army songs: 'God Came in Jesus to Live Among Us', “I Will Praise You Lord' and 'Holy Spirit, Promised Presence Fall On Me.' Following a standing ovation, the Chicago Staff Band played Himes' 'Stars and Leafs Forever'—a tongue-in-cheek tribute to the friendship that exists between Canada and the U.S.A. Himes cleverly interjects 'The Maple Leaf Forever' and 'O Canada' into Sousa's famous 'Stars and Stripes Forever' march.

Top photo: The Chicago Staff Band perform a vocal selection; middle: Shaun and Peggy Thomas present a duet for euphonium and cornet; bottom: Bandmasters John Lam and William Himes