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The International Headquarters Congress Office released the list of music groups participating in “Boundless,” the July 2015 international congress in London to celebrate The Salvation Army’s 150th anniversary.
Territories and commands across The Salvation Army world entered submissions for musicians and music groups, and a dedicated team watched hours of footage before selecting 40 groups and soloists that represent a broad spectrum of excellence in God-inspired Salvation Army music-making—from the traditional choral, brass band and timbrels to Chinese lion dancers and a bamboo orchestra.
“We are grateful to the worldwide Army for its support and are extremely pleased by the variety and cultural diversity represented in the list of participants,” said Commissioner William Cochrane, chairperson of the Congress Planning and Advisory Council. “The multiculturalism of The Salvation Army will clearly be seen in the groups and individuals who will come from the four corners of the earth to share their gifts in praise and worship to our Heavenly Father.”
The Africa Zone will be represented by the Angola National Band, the Ghana Band and Folk Dance Troupe, and the Kenya West Territorial Vocal and Dance Troupe.
The Americas and Caribbean Zone will be represented by the Ontario Central East Youth Chorus and London Ontario Timbrels (both from the Canada and Bermuda Territory), and soloist Adriana Quezada from Mexico. The USA Central Territory is sending the Chicago Staff Band and the Bill Booth Drama Troupe. The USA Eastern Territory will provide the New York Staff Band, and the USA Southern Territory is sending a worship band called transMission. The USA Western Territory has a large representation covering a wide range of styles and cultures: Pasadena Tabernacle Songsters and the Pasadena Tabernacle Youth Chorus, San Francisco Chinatown Lion Dancers, Korean Fan Dancers from Los Angeles, Hawaii Hula Halau, and a “Larsson and Larsson musical.” The South America East Territorial Band and South America West Cultural Dance Troupe will represent South America. Check out profiles for the Western Territory’s participating groups here
The Europe Zone will be represented by worship dancer Shaw Coleman (Germany and Lithuania Territory), vocal soloist A-young Lee (Italy and Greece Command) and a Roma group and the Amsterdam Staff Songsters (The Netherlands and Czech Republic Territory). The Eastern Europe Territory is represented by Captains Valery and Victoria Lalac with Captains Alexander and Svetlana Sharov, and a Scandinavian influence will come from Norway’s Mannssambandet Vocal Group and Vasa Gospel Choir from Sweden. Of course, the host country won’t be left out, with the International Staff Band and International Staff Songsters being joined at the congress by 2nd Mile Worship Band and interpretive dance from the Hart Triplets.
The South Asia Zone will be represented by the India Central Youth Singers and India Eastern Mizo Singers from Aizawl with soloist Judith Lalremruati.
The South Pacific and East Asia Zone will be represented by the Melbourne Staff Band and Waverly Temple Corps Timbrel Brigade (Australia Southern Territory), praise dancers with Chinese instrument accompaniment from the Hong Kong and Macau Command, the Indonesia Territory Youth Chorus and Bamboo Orchestra, Samulnori percussion players from O Ka Corps in the Korean Territory, and a haka group from the New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory.
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Find more international congress news, including updates about the prayer and Bible-reading initiatives, and sign up for the Boundless 2015 e-newsletter here.
