ANZAC Memorial Service at Preston Salvation Army Corps

The choir was very pleased to receive an invitation to join the well-known Preston Citadel Band for an ANZAC Day Eve concert at Preston’s Salvation Army venue.

The band commenced proceedings with fine renditions of The Red Shield, Coronation March and Music from the Trenches. Interspersed throughout the concert were voiceover readings of wartime stories accompanied by very comprehensive and relevant visuals projected on to a large screen.

The choir’s first bracket was Gwŷr Harlech then Rachie followed by How Great Thou Art with a finely modulated solo by tenor Rushan Hewawasam.

The Citadel Band enchanted the audience with a lighter bracket of TV Themes (Hogan’s Heroes and Dad’s Army), He Ain’t Heavy, All You Need Is Love and Strong to Save.

After the power of the brass band, the choir sang the a cappella lullaby Si Hei Lwli ‘Mabi followed by The Rose. Roger Bartlett caught the emotion of You’ll Never Walk Alone before the choir’s presentation of Songs from the First World War with plenty of enthusiastic singing from the audience.

The band played Abide with Me before choir and patrons rose as one to listen to the Ode and The Last Post followed by one minute’s silence and Reveille, finishing with God Save the Queen and Advance Australia Fair.

The choir went back on stage to be accompanied by the marvellous Citadel Band on I Am Australian, Highland Cathedral and Cwm Rhondda. VicWelsh then left the stage to appreciative acclaim before the band’s robust finale of Land of Song.