Personnel Update

The CSB is once again undergoing some changes in personnel, made necessary by Jim McArthur’s sudden departure in January. Jim came into the band on euphonium in 2003 and since that time has made a superb contribution to the band’s ministry. He will be missed.

Replacing Jim on euphonium is Michael Stayner, who is moving over from first trombone.

Coming into the band we welcome Andrew Poirier, a professional musician and well-known trombone soloist who is much in demand in Toronto and throughout Canada. To accommodate his professional engagements, and recognizing that certain commitments may take him away from the band’s ministry on occasion, Andrew has been appointed as an auxiliary member of the staff band for the remainder of the 2006-2007 season.

The CSB also officially welcomes Stuart Cornie as our new media technician. Actually, Stuart travelled with the band on our recent visit to California and was most helpful in preparing and operating multimedia presentations to enhance the band’s musical ministry. A longtime bandsman and former bandmaster, Stuart knows his way around computers and has worked extensively at creating and managing websites both for the Canada and Bermuda Territory, U.K. Territory and The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters. He is already proving to be a very worthwhile addition to the band.

Stuart will be assisted by Sarah Ewing, who originally came into the band on cornet in 2003. Unfortunately, she has not been able to play her instrument over the past year and a half due to ongoing dental work. Sarah will be staying on as assistant media technician and also to help with percussion as necessary.

British Bandsman CD of the Year is Euphonium Virtuoso played by the much travelled Steven Mead accompanied by Brass Band Buizingen. Steven is a real global ambassador for the euphonium and this year has taken the instrument into even more uncharted waters having played solo at the Milan Fashion Show in September!

Brass Band World CD of the Year is The Heaton Collection Volume 4 on the SP&S label and played by Black Dyke Band. This, of course, is not the first time that a CD in The Heaton Collection has carried off a major award. The first release in the series (now known as Volumes 1 & 2) was named CD of the Year back in 2002 by British Bandsman. Volume 4 represents the final release in the series and completes the project of recording all th e brass band works of Wilfred Heaton.

In an unusual move, Brass Band World Solo CD of the Year is Caprice by the stunning young trumpeter Alison Balsom. Although Ms Balsom plays the trumpet on this CD and is accompanied by the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra she first learned to play a brass instrument in Royston Town Band and still maintains contact with the band, popping in for a ‘blow’ from time to time!

Big band leader and jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson, who played with Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie and Stan Kenton and recorded the Rocky theme song, has died at the age of 78.

The Canadian-born Ferguson died in a Ventura, Calif., hospital Wednesday after suffering kidney and liver failure brought on by an abdominal infection.

Ferguson’s death comes just weeks after he and his Big Bop Nouveau Band had completed recording an album. They also played several sold out performances at New York’s Blue Note Club in late July.

CBC Arts: Band leader, trumpeter Maynard Ferguson dies

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Here you’ll find over 350 pages of FREE information, articles and resources for trombonists and other musicians. Browse a category, click on an image, or enter some words in the site specific search field to learn more about what is available inside yeodoug.com.

Douglas Yeo Trombone Web Site

At 90, Fred Johnston, retired Salvation Army bandmaster of the Simcoe Community Church in Ontario, still blows his own horn. That ‘horn’ is a Besson Sovereign cornet, which belongs to the band. When 11, he learned to play in Woodstock, Ont. Taught by Stan Cracknell, he has played for 79 years.

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