Winning entry connects with Christmas joy
Up-and-coming songwriter, Benjamin Salter’s message of joy and peace won The Salvation Army’s ‘Connect Through Song’ competition last Tuesday.
Hundreds of budding artists and songwriters from across Australia submitted their original songs, but Salter’s traditional tribal arrangement, Christmas Time, best captured the competition’s theme of ‘connect’.
Territorial Communications and Public Relations Secretary, Major Bruce Harmer says Benjamin’s song, Christmas Time, resonated with the values of compassion, joy and peace.
“Benjamin’s submission was chosen due to its unique sound and lyrical content that really emulated our theme of ‘connect’ for this year’s Christmas campaign.”
As the winner, Benjamin will perform his song at Woolworths Carols in the Domain’s pre-show entertainment in Sydney tomorrow (Saturday 21 December) and a free recording session with Song Music Australia.
Living in Torquay, Victoria with his wife and son Immanuel, Benjamin explains he only just made the deadline, deciding to enter two days before the competition closed.
“My wife Caroline was browsing the Salvos website to find out about the different ways to donate when she came across the competition details, just two days before the deadline.
“She wanted to make a joyful religious song with traditional music similar in style to her tribe’s sound in Indonesia. I told her to write the lyrics and I would write the music.
“I got home from work one evening and she handed me the lyrics and hummed a tune. I ended up finishing the song around 3am the following morning after juggling a night up with Immanuel.”
Major Harmer who was one of the competition’s judges says they received a positive response to the competition with submissions from all around Australia. To donate to The Salvation Army’s Christmas Appeal visit salvos.org.au/christmas or call 13 SALVOS (13 72 58). Donations can also be made in person at any Westpac branch.
Photo: Winner of The Salvation Army song competition, Benjamin Salter (left) with his son, Immanuel and wife, Caroline. (supplied by Benjamin Salter)
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