BRADFORD born Frank Renton will return to the Yeadon Town Hall for the 18th time on Friday, October 26 conducting his consistently favourite choice, the Hepworth Band.

Since last year there has been a considerable change in his career following the BBC’s decision to remove from the schedules after 23 years the weekly ‘Listen to the Band’ programme and in Frank’s words ‘cease supporting the brass band culture’. It was also decided to bring to an end the annual BBC Radio 2 Young Brass Award, several recipients of which have featured in these concerts.

But riding to the rescue came a new company called brasspass.tv a subscription channel broadcasting on the internet. They agreed with the BBC that the name of the programme should survive so it became Frank Renton ‘Still Listening to the Band’, with the first fortnightly edition being broadcast on May 15. To listen, all anyone has to do is to log on to brasspass.tv and follow the steps. Equally important is the news that, again with the agreement of the BBC, brasspass.tv will produce its own Young Brass Award with the first final on March 31st next year at the Stoller Hall in Manchester, to be streamed live around the world. So if you know a fine young brass player between the ages of 16 and 21 point them in the direction of brasspass.tv and who knows what the future might hold.

The Hepworth Band are no strangers to innovation themselves this year staging as part of the band’s series of family friendly events a Harry Potter Halloween Tea Party. Many of the concertgoers, adults and children wore fancy dress for the event as did most of the players. The band chose a programme of suitably spooky music interspersed with children’s favourites, and were ably backed up by performers from Wakefield Girls’ High School

The band also celebrated the New Year in full evening dress by holding a Viennese Matinee Concert with a programme of waltzes, overtures and polkas featured on their website as ‘Dancing in the aisles.

On hearing the news Frank said: “It is good that tonight’s performance should be dedicated to the memory of Aireborough Rotarian Gerald Long who died tragically recently and was always a great supporter of these concerts.”

Tickets for the concert are available from John Kitching on 07753 434214 price £13 including programme.