If you ever wondered if brass bands or brass band composers were not being featured enough on television in the UK, then a couple of recent appearances may make you change your mind.
The first came with composer Paul Lovatt-Cooper, who made a cameo appearance in the ITV soap-opera 'Emmerdale' — the popular everyday tale of Yorkshire farming folk.
Paul was asked to be part of a scene that involved a comedic 'menage a trois' — playing the in-house foyer pianist in a posh hotel.
As the three main characters bickered and argued, PLC played away on the piano until one of the disgruntled females marched into him in a huff, causing Paul to fall over the keyboard accompanied by an anguished cry of discomfort!
Great fun
"It was great fun,"Paul told 4BR after his appearance was revealed. "Not many people know, but I used to work sometimes as an extra on the show when I was a student. When they need someone to play the piano for the scene an old friend called me up and asked me if I would like to do it."
He added: "I don't think it will get me a BAFTA nomination but it was great to be part of — and it was all done in a couple of takes!"
CD recording
The appearance came during a busy period, with Black Dyke just finishing the recording of his latest CD of music. "It was a great way to round off a hectic few weeks — and the CD will sound fantastic. Black Dyke was on brilliant form under Prof Nicholas Childs, so I hope people will enjoy it better than my acting!"
You can check his appearance out at:
http://www.itv.com/hub/emmerdale/1a8694a7684
Not many people know, but I used to work sometimes as an extra on the show when I was a student. When they need someone to play the piano for the scene an old friend called me up and asked me if I would like to do itPLC
Eggheads
Meanwhile, members of Bollington Band in Cheshire appeared on the BBC quiz show 'Eggheads', where enthusiasts try to beat a team of professional quiz players for a cash pot prize — on this occasion a massive £13,000.
However, presenter Jeremy Vine may have got his first quiz 'fact' of the programme wrong — stating that the band had come second in the European Brass Band Championships.
Bollington's 'Best of Brass' gave it a great shot too — so why not check out how they got on at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0851mbn/eggheads-series-18-episode-28
