From our early days, music has played an important part in the life and worship of the Salvation Army and, at Ipswich Citadel, it still does.
If you have been Christmas shopping in Ipswich town centre, you will probably have heard our brass band playing carols outside the Great White Horse – something that they have done for many years. But our band is busy throughout the rest of the year too.
As well as taking part in all of the worship at our hall, you will be able to see and hear them every August at the Aldeburgh Carnival Songs of Praise. They also visit sheltered housing and care homes during the year and play at concerts.
Our choir is called the Songsters in the Salvation Army. They too take part in all of the worship at our hall, as well as singing at care homes and other churches.
As with all Salvation Army musicians, they are unpaid volunteers who often have other roles in the Salvation Army. Our band and Songsters include musicians across a wide range of ages from teenagers to pensioners – giving a rich mix of experience and youthful enthusiasm.
We encourage our younger members to develop their musical talents too. We have a junior choir (known as the Singing Group) and a Worship Group. They too play an active part in our worship.
Ipswich Citadel is not only home to our local musicians, but is also the base for one of the Salvation Army’s regional brass bands – the Anglia Fellowship Band. This is made up of brass band players from across the whole of East Anglia who are associated with the Salvation Army. They don’t normally take part in our worship, but meet at our hall for rehearsals and play in Salvation Army concerts across many venues in East Anglia.
