1970 c - World Band Festival

Before participating in the World Band Festival, the band played two concerts. The first was in Leyden inside its cathedral, a fitting place for Elsa. The second was an outdoor concert in Margraten, site of the American Cemetery and Memorial for American soldiers who died in WWII.With the weekend came the festival. First came parade competition in which the band marched in parade formation around the oval of the runner's track. Next came the field show competition. Mr. Soyars had written a dance drill to the Saint Louis Blues March (Handy/Burgitt), comprised of such moves as the "Jackie Gleason Glide." And, away we went, able to medal in both competitions: bronze for the show, silver for the parade!

For the concert portion of the contest, the required piece, Introduction, Theme and Variations on Waar in Het Bronsgroen Eikenhout by Louis Toebosch, presented few challenges, beyond endurance (and pronunciation). Soyars wanted to showcase the band with the firey Carnival section of Reed's La Fiesta Mexicana, but the judges opted for the calmer Mass. The result? Bronze!

Other music played on concerts included

• Selections from Oliver (Bart/Leyden)
• Chimes of Liberty (Goldman)
• First Suite in Eb for Military Band (Holst)
• Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral (Wagner/Calliet)
• Saint Louis Blues March (Handy/Burgett)
• La Fiesta Mexicana (Reed)
• Man of La Mancha (Leigh and Darion/Erickson)
• Down, Down the Field (SU fight song)
  

Bandies board busses outside of the Hotel Willems-Kosters (D. Dow photo)	Leyden Cathedral, bandies head to first indoor concert. (D. Dow photo)
Concert at Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten (D. Dow photo)	Leading the way in parade competition, Jaqueline S., Susan S., Suzanne S., and drum major Randall A. (D. Dow photo)
Bill G. and Jon K. wander among priceless Van Goghs. (D. Dow photo)	In the concert hall of Kerkrade (D. Dow photo)

Concerts originally scheduled in Milan and Florence, Italy, were cancelled, but the buses made their way over the Alps anyway. August snowball fights and film-loop switchback roads, unavoidable back then, are probably rare now, with the coming of alpine tunnels. Stops in Brunnen, Switzerland, and Lugano, Italy, provided unparalleled scenic beauty. But there was never a day on the road that didn't have "changements" due to scheduling miscalculations.

Narrow passage. (D. Dow photo)	Seeing the sights in Florence. (D. Dow photo)
In Concert at Margraten. (D. Dow photo)