In a change to the advertised programme, Grimethorpe Colliery Band and guest conductor Howard Evans are to pay a musical tribute to the actor Pete Postlethwaite in their forthcoming RNCM Festival of Brass concert on 30th January

Admired

Admired by film and theatre audiences, the actor who died last week aged 64, earned world wide recognitions following his performance as the conductor of the Grimley Colliery Band in the film ‘Brassed Off!.

The film endeared him to the banding community and to the Grimethorpe players in particular, who retained close contact with him over the years, with the band playing a central role in the recent BBC 2 documentary tribute about his life and work

It is a pity to lose such fine music, but, if anything, the additional items make a stronger and certainly more varied and entertaining conclusion to the festivalPaul Hindmarsh

Dropped

To make way for this special tribute, Artistic Director Paul Hindmarsh has dropped the selection of dances from Prokofiev’s ballet 'Romeo and Juliet'.

"It is a pity to lose such fine music," Hindmarsh commented to 4BR, "...but, if anything, the additional items make a stronger and certainly more varied and entertaining conclusion to the festival."

Items

The extra band items are ‘Brassed Off!’ favourite ‘Irish Tune from Country Derry’ (Grainger, arr. Wright) and two stirring concert items from Russia, Shostakovich’s ‘Festive Overture’ and the Finale from Tchaikovsky’s ‘Symphony No. 4.’

Guest soloist Les Neish will also contribute an additional solo item, Andy Scott’s haunting ‘My Mountain Top’.