Musical Guests

Yorkminster Citadel Singing Company Yorkminster Citadel Singing Company is a group of young singers between the ages of six and 16 from Toronto. Led by Alexandria Venables, the group shares in worship at Yorkminster Citadel through Sunday services and at Yorkminster’s Youth Music Academy on Tuesday nights. In December 2022, the Yorkminster Citadel Singing Company enjoyed performing at Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall during Christmas With The Salvation Army, and are thrilled to be singing at INSPIRE.

Canadian Staff Band The Canadian Staff Band, led by Bandmaster John Lam, travels across the territory and around the world with one purpose: to share the message of redemption through the powerful medium of music. Through their music and testimony, the Canadian Staff Band has shown people that there is hope and life in Christ. In its desire to bring music to the people, the band will participate throughout the INSPIRE Congress weekend, including at Friday’s welcoming celebration, during the ordination and commissioning service for the Reflectors of Holiness on Saturday morning, and at the march of witness on Sunday.

NEON NEON was formed in 2016 by the music and gospel arts department at territorial headquarters to encourage and support contemporary worship in the Canada and Bermuda Territory. The name NEON comes from a desire to shine the love of God brightly in a world that can seem dark at times. In addition to supporting corps, divisional and territorial events across the territory, NEON has been involved in the training and development of worship leaders and teams.

Impact Brass Impact Brass, under the leadership of Matthew Barby, is a regional youth band hailing from southwestern Ontario that joins together for music ministry and mentorship. Comprised of young people between the ages of 14and 25, Impact Brass uses the medium of music to proclaim the gospel of Jesus while supporting musicians in their spiritual growth.

INSPIRE Chorus The Southwestern Ontario INSPIRE Youth Chorus is a choir for youth and young adults ranging in age from 13 to 30. Presently, the group is geographically centred around Woodstock, Ont., with members hailing from across the southwestern region, including Hamilton, Guelph, Listowel, London and Windsor. These young musicians love Jesus Christ and choose to join their voices in song as they praise God and spread his love for all of us.

SOUL Chorus SOUL includes singers aged 13 to 25 from Toronto, who engage in various performances and worship services throughout the year. Past highlights include singing at the O2 Arena during the Army’s 2015 Boundless International Congress in London, England, at Christmas in the Square at Yonge and Dundas in Toronto, the Gift of Christmas concert at the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga, Ont., and the many local corps with whom they have been invited to share in worship.

NewFoundBrass and Chorus Since re-launching as a divisional music group in 2016, NewFoundBrass and Chorus has enjoyed a busy ministry in the Newfoundland and Labrador Division. They have supported congress and commissioning events that have taken place in Newfoundland and Labrador, Hope for the Holidays concerts and recordings with local television. They are so pleased to be participating in INSPIRE events and can’t wait to share in this exciting time for the territory.

Solidarity Brass Solidarity Brass is one of two regional youth bands within the Ontario Division. The band was formed in January 2006 and is made up of young Salvationists from corps in the central-east area of the division. The name of the group is inspired by the Robert Redhead composition Solidarity, which was the first piece the band ever played. The name Solidarity also describes what the band stands for and believes in: a group of young people who are united in mission and can say “on Christ the solid rock we stand” and are in solidarity with each other to proclaim the gospel.

Canadian Staff Songsters The territory’s vocal ministry received a boost in the fall of 2016 with the formation of the Canadian Staff Songsters (CSS), under the leadership of Major Len Ballantine. This group of choristers leads the territory in worship, evangelism and integrated mission through music. Through its ministry, the Canadian Staff Songsters aims to enrich the faith of Salvationists across the territory and beyond, to solidify the mission of the Army in the hearts and minds of those who hear them sing, and move the Army forward in faith.

North Street Worship Team God has brought together a passionate group of celebrants in the North Street Worship Team from Hamilton, Bermuda. Their time together has been marked by a move of the Holy Spirit on Sunday mornings and during their weekly practice time. Their prayer is for Jesus to get all the honour and glory as they offer him their sacrifice of praise.

North Street Lyrical Dancers Tiny Steps of Faith started at North Street Citadel in Hamilton, Bermuda, almost 30 years ago as a one-off dance ministry for children between the ages of three and 16. Mighty Steps of Faith, a group for older dancers, was added later. The ministry continues to exist as an avenue of liturgical worship that glorifies and honours God through dance.

Four Crest Dancers British Columbia’s Gitwinksihlkw Four Crest Dancers were established in 1992 in anticipation of the raising of the Bear’s Den pole replica, which was to be the first pole raised by the community in more than 100 years. The Gitwinksihlkw Four Crest Dancers have played an integral role in the revival of Nisg̱a’a cultural singing and dancing and have represented their community on a global stage, including travelling to Victoria to perform at the Commonwealth Games in 1994 and then to Hawaii in 1997.

Word Alive Word Alive, a drama ministry of Toronto’s Scarborough Citadel, exists to share God’s love and bring transformation through his Word. Members of this group come from many different cultural backgrounds, including India, Colombia, South Korea, Germany and Zimbabwe, reflecting the diverse community of Scarborough Citadel. Word Alive brings God’s Word to life through dramatized readings, plays and short skits.