Within the brass band of the local Salvation Army, Richard Phillips first came into contact with music, where he played the trumpet. He studied piano, trumpet, orchestral conducting, and composition at the Royal College of Music in London . During his studies he was in great demand as a pianist in and outside the United Kingdom.

After graduating he went back to Chatham (Kent) and became the conductor of the Chatham Citadel Band of the Salvation Army and became Editor-in-Chief of the International Music Editorial Department of the Salvation Army from 1994. London. He also worked as a pianist with the International Staff Songsters of the Salvation Army for around 13 years. In November 1997, he left Chatham (Kent) for Enfield (London) where he succeeded James Williams MBE as Bandmaster of the well-known Enfield Citadel Band of the Salvation Army. In 2000, he returned to the Peterborough and Kettering region of England and first worked as a music teacher at Peterborough Regional College. There he became Bandmaster of the Kettering Citadel Band . Today, he is head of the music department at Thomas Deacon Academy in Peterborough, one of the largest music academies in England.

As a pianist and conductor, he made concert tours through the United States, Canada, Norway, Sweden,  Australia, and New Zealand. He is known within and outside the brass band and choir world, but especially within the Salvation Army. A CD recording with the Enfield Citadel Band and him as conductor was named CD of the year in 2000 by Brass Band World magazine.

He is featured on this show conducting the Enfield Citadel Band playing his own composition with cornet soloist David Daws.

Enjoy 

'So you want to be a Pirate...' That is the name of my Zoom PowerPoint which I did for the first time today as a Zoom for the Oddfellows Society. Usually, I do it as a live presentation and one I did on a cruise ship 18 months ago, but today was a first. It went really well, everything worked as it should do. The music played when required and the audience from far and wide enjoyed it. Hopefully, this will be the first of many more. It was a good day today.....

'The Nightingale' - Cornet Solo was written by Harold Moss (1891-1960). He was one of the finest trombonists of his generation before taking up the baton. His greatest conducting success were with Wingates, conducting them from 1909-1936 and winning the 1931 Crystal Palace contest playing Hubert Bath's test piece 'Honour and Glory'.

He then became musical director of Creswell Colliery, remaining there until 1948, when he moved back to Lancashire to take Leyland Motors Band.
He composed several solos and made many arrangements for his bands, mostly unpublished. In his later years he became a leading adjudicator.

'The Nightingale', was written in 1929, whilst is became a popular cornet solo it is believed that he wrote it for himself as a trombone solo. This was after his other two other well known solos 'The Firefly' in 1927 and 'The Joker' in 1928.

'The Nightingale' is featured on this show by the legendary cornet player James Shepherd in 1966.

Sir Richard Rodney Bennett CBE (29. 3. 1936 – 24. 12. 2012) was an English composer of film, TV and concert music, and also a jazz pianist and occasional vocalist. He was based in New York City from 1979 until his death.

He was born at Broadstairs, Kent, but was raised in Devon during WW II. He was a pupil at Leighton Park School. He later studied at the Royal Academy of Music, he produced over 200 works for the concert hall, and 50 scores for film and television. He was also a writer and performer of jazz songs for 50 years.

He regularly performed as a jazz pianist, with such singers as Cleo Laine, Marion Montgomery and many others performing the Great American Songbook. He died in New York and was interred at Green-wood Cemetery, Brooklyn.

On this week’s show we feature the brass band arrangement by Howard Snell of the music Richard Rodney Bennett wrote for the soundtrack to the 1974 film Murder on the Orient Express.

Having initially been asked to deliver a presentation to the members of the Calderdale Family History Society, as the months went by like all my other booked presentations it too had to be cancelled.

But, could it be done through what is new to many people as a new zoom presentations?:

We were both keen to give it a try.  My presentation 'All in a Day's Work' which is based on the lighter side of my 30 years in the police service does not usually have any images.  Having tried a zoom presentation without slides I knew it would not be as interesting without them.  I created a new PowerPoint slide presentation, with music to make it even more interesting. With the help of the society and a couple of dry-runs,worked out potential problems the date was set 7.30pm, Thursday July 23,           

On the night 39 members of the society tuned in, this included some members from both North Carolina in the US and Brisbane in Australia. With just one very small hiccup which was resolved in less than  two-minutes the 55 minute zoom show was a success.

Some of the society members emailed to say how much they had enjoyed it. One of the members from Brisbane sent me an email:   

 'I wanted to thank you for the great presentation you did and to say how much I enjoyed it.  I loved seeing all the old photos also'.

My next zoom presentation is on August 5 for the Oddfellows Society. This presentation is 'So, you want to be a Pirate?'- the life of a pirate during the Gold Age of Piracy. This will also be about 55 miniutes with a touch of music to add to the overall effects.   

Hello Brass Banders - Here is another two-hour show featuring brass band music from bands around the world. Some of the performances date back 50 years and will not have been heard and enjoyed for all that time. If you have a request or a question about the world of brass bands please contact me via email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or through my website www.chrishelme-brighouse.org.uk

Enjoy the show

I was invited in 2007 to produce and present the programme by Phoenix FM community radio station in Halifax. The station decided that Sunday Bandstand would be a good name for it. Initially this was a one-hour show, it soon developed however into two hours. It was not long before I was contacted by several other community radio stations who all wanted to play my show on their station schedule. From those stations I was then contacted by one in Australia, another in New Zealand and one in Italy, all three now play my weekly programme.

I also send the link out to almost 200 people who all round the world from as far apart as Thailand across to California and are all brass band enthusiasts. That list of individual listeners is growing. If you would like the show link sending contact me on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. The show is always open for requests and questions you might have about the world of brass bands             

Enjoy the show

Chad Shoopman, originally from Tucson, Arizona, is a professional trumpet player and conductor in the Central Florida area. Aside from performing regularly as lead trumpet for the Walt Disney World Co., Chad is also the lead trumpet player for The Chuck Owen Jazz Surge Big Band, allowing him to work with artists such as Gordon Goodwin, Chick Corea and many more. He can also be heard playing with orchestras and Big Bands.

Along with his big band work, Chad can also be heard on pops concerts for The Florida Orchestra. His most recent performance featured Patti Austin singing her Ella Fitzgerald songbook. In 2006 Chad had the honour of performing with Gordon Goodwin and The Big Phat Band in Los Angeles and was asked to go on tour with the band to Canada.

He is also an avid studio trumpet player. Among numerous recordings for Disney shows and theme parks all over the world, Chad can also be heard on the Danny Elfman soundtrack to the motion picture "Extreme Measures". He is also a freelance conductor, clinician, and adjudicator. As a clinician for Disney's Magic Music Days, every year he has the privilege of working with over 100 high school and college bands and orchestras from all over the world. Chad graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Music Education ('96) and a Master's degree in Conducting Performance ('99) from the University of Arizona. He now resides in Orlando, Florida with his wife Susan.  http://www.chadshoopman.com/ 

For several years he conducted the Brass Band of Central Florida and he is conducting the band in this week’s show.

Trevor Bremner needs no introduction in the international brass scene. He has been one of the driving forces in the brass band industry in New Zealand for well over 50 years. He is the creator of the hugely successful brass mute - the sshhmute. Along with his wife, Betty Bremner, Trevor has four sons who all work in the music industry.

Trevor plays the cornet, trumpet, and classical guitar and throughout his playing career, he has many highlights. These have included a 2^nd and 3^rd place at the British Open Solo Championships. He has taken part in and won numerous New Zealand and Australian Championship cornet titles. Along with the New Zealand Masters and New Zealand and Australian Champion of Champion titles.

He has been awarded as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for his services to music by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Away from his music he is a keen gardener, likes to relax with a good book and enjoys watching car racing and sport. Along with his wife Betty, a first-class pianist, they run their successful business.

Trevor is one of the featured soloists on this week’s show.

This week, take a break from all the doom and gloom we have been watching and hearing about this last week and join Chris Helme with his weekly two-hour Sunday Bandstand radio show. This show will take you on a journey through some of the best-loved pieces of film music that have been enjoyed and played by brass bands and appreciated by audiences for many years. The music includes a number of pieces you will only appreciate as being used in the movies both large and small once the music starts.

I am sure some of your favourite movie melodies will be amongst the 23 pieces featured on the show. Bands have been brought together from USA, Norway, Austria, Belgium, Italy, New Zealand, Switzerland and some great home grown bands from here in the UK. The show also includes some fine soloists and a wonderful female vocalist.

Well, if you have bought your ice-lolly, a can of pop and may be some pop-corn for later - then make yourself comfortable and let the show begin.