Youth band gives concert

The Salvation Army atmosphere was charged with the sound of melody from the Suzume Youth Band SYB.

The Japanese band in their first tour of New Zealand visited Palmerston North on August 23 and thrilled the audience with selections of hymns, folk songs, and classical music.

The 37-year-old band, led by its pioneer conductor Teruo Yabuuchi, entertained the gathering with Spirit of Youth, composed by Goff Richards; Summon the Dragon by Peter Graham; Panis Angelicus by Ce` sar Franck; Ave Maria by Giulio Caccini, to mention but a few.

A 16-year-old soloist, Miu Motomura, presented the euphonium solo, Blaydon Races, arranged by Gordon Langford.

The band also presented Do-Re-Mi from The Sound of Music.

SYB is a community brass band modelled after the British style brass band.

Its membership is drawn from elementary and junior schools across Utsunomiya City in the Kanto region of Japan.

The main purpose of SYB is to develop young musicians for their schools and to also develop young people to live good and wonderful lives.

The band was first introduced to the Salvation Army’s Wellington Citadel

‘The

main purpose of SYB is to develop young musicians for their schools and to also develop young people to live good and wonderful

’ lives.

Band WCB during their second tour to Japan in 1985. They later partnered with WCB in concerts and master classes in 2007 and 2013.

They will perform in Wellington until August 28.