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Four from West selected as “future all stars.”
by Gordon Ward –
After submitting video auditions, four Western Territory young people were among the 64 brass players from throughout the U.S. and Canada, ages 13-18, who attended The Salvation Army New York Staff Band’s (NYSB) fourth annual Future All Star (FAS) weekend at Star Lake Lodge in New York.
Representing the West were Territorial Youth Band members James Allen (Pasadena Tabernacle Corps), Daniel Summers (Salem Corps), Derek Flinn (Pasadena Tabernacle) and Laura Foley (Pasadena Tabernacle).
In just 48 hours, the NYSB provided musical guidance and instruction while Commissioners Lawrence and Nancy Moretz, territorial leaders in the East, urged students to discover, develop and make use of their musical talents and to parallel their spiritual lives with the same discipline.
The students learned a cross section of challenging music, from Bramwell Coles’ “Divine Pursuit” and Eric Ball’s “Torchbearers,” to Norman Bearcroft’s “Just Like John” and Kenneth Downie’s “Exultate!”
The first evening program featured four notably talented FAS musicians—two from the Western Territory—pianist James Allen and cornet player Daniel Summers.
A final concert at the School for Officer Training in Suffern, N.Y. began with presentations by the NYSB and followed with Future All Star performances before the two groups joined in massed numbers.
“The Future All Star weekend was extraordinary,” said Commissioner Nancy Moretz. “The Spirit of God was in this. We saw young people submit their musical talents to be developed, encouraged and refined for use in this great mission we share.”
