Playing in the Salvation Army Band

The first time Brent Schlegel ever touched a horn, it was as a member of a band... The Salvation Army band.

 "I started with the Salvation Army when I was little," he said. "I kind of grew up in it and one day the person who ran the Salvation Army downtown asked me if I wanted to be part of a band.”

Brent, who was 7 or 8 at the time, agreed to participate.

“I went down to the old downtown headquarters and he handed me a horn. I started playing, he started teaching me and I've been playing ever since."

Obsessed is the word Brent uses to describe his love of music. In addition to playing in the Salvation Army bands, Brent performs with the CVHS Showband and various stage bands.

 "I want to study music in college and hope that I can one day become a divisional music director for Salvation Army," he said. "Playing in the SA bands, playing spiritual songs, gives me a spiritual fulfillment in a way. Whenever I'm playing and I hear people in the audience or congregation singing along, it's very powerful. It's worship in the highest form to me."

The network of local Salvation Army Bands, made up strictly of brass and percussion, play in the general area of their church locations. Usually 8-10 people comprise the core of the band at any given performance.

"We play at nursing homes and, I haven't had a chance to do this until this year, but we'll play at Light Up Night in town," Brent said. "We also play at core of divisional events. I play at the Salvation Army camp sometimes and I sometimes teach classes at the camps."

 Last year, Brent even had the opportunity to attend the Star Lake music camp for the first time. Brent received a scholarship to attend the territorial music camp, which he says was a phenomenal experience.

Brent belongs to the Salvation Army Church in Dormont, where he is also enrolled as a soldier. The Salvation Army is more known for its charitable work, but the church has been around since being established in England in 1865 and coming to the U.S. in the early 20th century.

"I hope that when I'm in my 30s I can become a pastor in the SA or a divisional music director (that would be for the entire area of western PA or a similar division in the northeast)," he said. "I want to be an officer and I want to help maintain and grow the band. I hope to one day play with the New York Staff Band or the International Staff Band. They are among the very best brass bands in the entire world. The auditions are extremely rigorous.”

 Brent has narrowed his college choices down to either Indiana University of Pennsylvania or Eastern University.

"I just think that the music unites people who may not see religion as something they want to be involved with," Brent said. "It offers a new perspective on the church and on religion in general. When you see the people coming together in this group, it's really something special. It's a very unique and fulfilling experience."