Cherokee Brass (Bandmaster Michael Cash) toured Mountain Home, Arkansas, over the Labor Day weekend (30 August – 1 September 2013). The band played a series of concerts in the community, culminating in a worship service at Mountain Home Corps. Cherokee Brass is the youth band of the Arkansas-Oklahoma Division.
This tour was originally scheduled to take place over Memorial Day weekend in late May, but was rescheduled because of the tornadoes that struck central Oklahoma. Majors Johnny amd Kathy Poff worked very hard, along with the Arkansas-Oklahoma Music and Arts, to get the tour rescheduled, and the majority of the band was able to work the change into their schedules as well.
The tour began with an outdoor event on Friday night at the city square. The band played a full concert, as the only group performing, with nearly 150 people from the community in attendance. Major Johnny Poff gave a devotion during the concert, and afterwards escorted the band back to the corps where he served them his famous barbecue.
On Saturday morning, the band had the opportunity to tour the visitor center at Bull Shoals, just outside of Mountain Home. The members of the band had a good time taking a break from playing and learning about the local area. In the afternoon, the band gave a concert at Cooper Park on the White River.
The busy weekend continued with a concert of worship on Saturday night at the First Assembly of God church. The chapel was a beautiful place to perform and the people of the church were very welcoming. The first half of the concert featured the band, youth chorus, praise band and a drama presentation. Cherokee Brass ended the first half with Fantastic Discover (Robert Redhead).
After intermission, the evening took on a more meditative tone. The band led the congregation in “Holy, Holy, Holy” and played several selections. After the chorus sang Take Time to Be Holy (arr. Tom Fettke), Bandmaster Andrew Barrington, Divisional Music Director, led a time of devotion. He spoke on the importance of having faith with deep roots. The band then played Paul Sharman’s arrangement of Take Time to Be Holy. The evening finished with Amazing Race (Andrew Mackereth). After the concert, the band was again treated by the Mountain Home Corps, this time to an Ice Cream Social.
On Sunday morning, the band joined in worship with the Mountain Home Corps. It served its most important function of the weekend as the duty band for the Holiness Meeting. Young people from the visiting group provided music, Scripture reading, prayer, praise and worship, band selections and congregational accompaniment for the meeting. Captain Bobby Parker, Divisional Youth Secretary, brought the sermon.
Several individuals were acknowledged for their assistance with the weekend. Chairman Mark Capshandy and the other members of the Mountain Home Advisory Board were instrumental in hosting the band. Majors Johnny and Kathy Poff were also supportive, as were the assistants at Mountain Home, Ben and Charlsie Godwin.
The band also thanked the adults who traveled with the band providing guidance and musical support, especially Bandmaster Michael Cash, who was leading the band on a ministry weekend for the first time. Appreciation was also given to Kade Goforth, who volunteered to help in the solo cornet section, and to Troy Mitchell, the Band Sergeant.
Tour Repertoire
- Amazing Race (Andrew Mackereth)
- Blood-Washed Army, The (Stanley Ditmer)
- Burning, Burning (Michael Cash)
- Deeds of Valor (Bramwell Coles)
- Fantastic Discovery (Robert Redhead)
- From Earth’s Confusion (Trevor Davis)
- Hadleigh Camp (Ray Steadman-Allen)
- Harlesden (Ray Bowes)
- Holy, Holy, Holy (arr. William Himes)
- O How I Love Jesus (James Curnow)
- Old Rugged Cross, The (Erik Leidzén)
- Take Time to Be Holy (Paul Sharman)
- This I Know (William Himes)
- To a God Like This (Ian Robinson)
- When I Survey (Olaf Ritman)
Source:
Arkansas-Oklahoma Music and Arts web site, original report by Jimmy Cox