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Cardiff Canton Band is guest for Tournament of Roses Parade
by Jeff Curnow –
The Cardiff Canton Citadel Corps band undertook a “mini-tour” of California over the New Year’s holiday. While the guests of the Southern California Division for six days, the band played five concerts—including an appearance at Disneyland—and marched in the Tournament of Roses parade.
The Canton Corps, located in Cardiff, the capital city of the principality of Wales, formed its first band in 1883. In its 125-year history, the band has traveled extensively, but exists primarily to help lead worship at their corps. Former Western Territorial Music Secretary Ivor Bosanko’s roots are in the Canton Corps. Before emigrating to the U.S., Bosanko was the third generation of his family to serve—as had his father and grandfather—as bandmaster of the group.
On Sunday, December 28, the band arrived in Southern California and—after a nine-hour flight—performed at the Crystal Cathedral’s Sunday morning services.
Later that evening they presented a concert with the Youth Chorus at the Pasadena Tabernacle Corps. Bandmaster Carl Saunders commented that it was fun to be part of a concert that featured so many different ways to praise God through music.
Other appearances for the band included concerts at Pasadena City College and a joint festival with the Tustin Ranch band.
While marching in the parade, they exhibited a joyful spirit of service. The parade can be a grueling experience, yet one of the band’s trombone players—who had just celebrated his 85th birthday—completed it with energy to spare. Impressed with this spirit, Divisional Music Director Kevin Larsson said, “They were great performers—they received the first standing ovation that Disneyland management had seen in more than six years—but most importantly, they exhibited the spirit of service that is a hallmark of great bands around the world. No matter what was asked or if plans changed, they responded joyfully.”
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