Amsterdam Staff Bandmaster Olaf Ritman and Staff Band principal cornet Steef Klepke traveled to Germany on the weekend of 2 – 4 November 2018 as guests of the Western Divisional Band (Bandmaster Ruben Schmidt).
The weekend of 27 – 28 October 2018 saw the Amsterdam Staff Band (Bandmaster Olaf Ritman) travel almost as if they were on tour. The band went to Winschoten, Oude Pekela, and Veendam, in the far northeast of the country, almost in Germany. The Winschoten Corps was celebrating its 130th anniversary and had invited the Staff Band to participate in the festivities.
The Amsterdam Staff Band (Bandmaster Olaf Ritman) had high expectations for their first ministry weekend after the summer break. In addition to the usual concerts and worship opportunities, the band was privileged to provide music for the wedding of one of its members.
The Amsterdam Staff Band (Bandmaster Olaf Ritman) spent its April ministry weekend in various towns, including Leiden, Vlaardingen, and Rijnsburg. The band performed an outdoor concert, an evening festival, and split into three ensembles to participate in Sunday worship at the Gouda, Maassluis, and Leiden corps.
The weekend of 18 – 19 February 2017 saw the Amsterdam Staff Band (Bandmaster Olaf Ritman) join with the Nationale Jeugd Brassband (National Youth Band of the Salvation Army in the Netherlands, Bandmaster Daniel Rosenquist) in Rotterdam for teaching and ministry.
The Amsterdam Staff Band and Songsters joined for their first Autumn Concert on 12 November 2016. The concert featured guest cornet soloist Thomas Fountain. During the concert, flügelhorn legend Menno van der Woude was honored on his retirement from the Staff Band.
On the weekend of 29 – 30 October 2016, the Amsterdam Staff Band (Bandmaster Olaf J. Ritman) visited the Den Helder Corps for the corps’ 125th anniversary celebrations. This weekend had been planned for some time. Every possible effort was used to make it a success, and this resulted in a fantastic weekend with many highlights, not only for the corps, but for the Staff Band as well.
On 29 October 2016, the Amsterdam Staff Band (Bandmaster Olaf Ritman) will release its new recording, entitled Vain Resistance. The recording features the title track, composed by the Staff Bandmaster. Several other arrangements by Ritman are also included, as well as items from soloists Michel Rosenquist, Jorijn van Hese, and Steef Klepke Jr.
On the weekend of 24 – 25 September 2016, the Amsterdam Staff Band (Bandmaster Olaf Ritman) were the guests of the Kennemerland Corps in Beverwijk, not far from Amsterdam. For quite a long time, the corps was looking forward to have the Staff Band as its guest and to attract people to the Army through the sound of the band. The weekend was more or less managed by former Staff Band cornetist Hedzer van der Giezen, an avid Salvationist and keen brass lover.
On the last Saturday of June 2016, the Amsterdam Staff Band (Bandmaster Olaf Ritman) were guests at the Zutphen Corps, to offer a music festival in celebration of the corps’ 125th anniversary.