At ten years old, Tom Hutchinson's teacher asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. In response, the lad drew a picture of himself performing with the Black Dyke Band at London's Royal Albert Hall. Later this month, that sketch, which still hangs on the wall of his mother's house, will become a reality when he and the rest of the band take to the stage as part of the BBC Proms season.
Appointed Principal Cornet last year, music teacher Tom, 38, admits the experience will be surreal — and worth the 470-mile round trip he takes from his home in south Wales up to Yorkshire three times a week for band practice. He says: "The Proms is a huge deal, an incredible gig and one that speaks to our reputation — we're the brass band everyone wants to play for. We've been at the Proms before in 2007 but then we shared the stage — this time it's just us. I started playing an instrument when I was nine, so when I was offered Principal Cornet with Black Dyke it was a once in a generation opportunity. I still pinch myself sometimes. And yes, given the price of petrol, my house in Wales is on the market!"
A Band with a 170-Year Legacy
Tom pinpoints a combination of the skill of his fellow players and Black Dyke's incredible history as the reason the band is so special. It was established in 1855 in the heart of 'mill country' in Queensbury, outside Bradford, by wealthy textile manufacturer and owner of the local Black Dyke Mills, John Foster. A music lover, he stepped in after two earlier attempts at forming a local brass band failed, buying instruments and uniforms — made from his own cloth — for the newly formed group. With many of his workers being members, the choice of name was obvious. The Black Dyke Mills band was born, although the 'mills' was dropped in the 1990s.
Today's musicians still meet in the same room their predecessors used to practice — John Foster's old summer house — but their reputation is now global. The intervening years have seen Black Dyke win international competitions, go on world tours, feature on The Beatles hit "Yellow Submarine" and even play the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury two years ago — although Principal conductor and director of music Nick Childs, 64, admits he initially "didn't know" what the festival was.
From Coal Mines to Concert Halls
Nick Childs, a professor at the Royal Northern College of Music, has conducted the band for the past 26 years, though his first job was as a coal miner. He says: "I play the euphonium and music is in my DNA but when I left school, my father said that before I could become a musician, I had to have a proper job so I went down the mines. In 1984, when the Miners' Strike happened, I played with the band that marched out of Grimethorpe Colliery in Yorkshire; just in front of me was Arthur Scargill. Unfortunately, 13 months later, I did the same job walking back in. Working as a miner did me no harm though; it's an asset because I can connect and talk to different generations."
Today the Black Dyke Band, funded largely by concert ticket sales and sponsorship, is made up of men and women mainly from across the north of England — one member even travels from Leicester — and counts teachers, plumbers and dog walkers among their number. Nick explains: "We are amateurs but only like Olympic athletes are amateurs — we're the Olympians of brass! Music is our passion. There are no clocks in the practice room because when you arrive you leave your working life outside; you open the door and you're a musician. It's a family affair too. We have fathers and sons, wives and girlfriends playing together — a bit like that film Brassed Off — and that's part of what makes it special. Do I get nervous before a performance? No, but I do get excited, although not too excited, otherwise things just get faster! As the conductor, I'm like a swan, floating on top but paddling like crazy beneath."
Family and Dedication
For trombone player Garry Reed, 65, the band is all about family. His partner Lesley helps run the online shop and sells merchandise at concerts, while son Adam plays bass trombone. The plumbing and heating engineer from Cleveland has been a part of Black Dyke for 22 years. His personal highlights include performing in Australia and in Japan, where they were treated "like pop stars." He adds: "In my day to day life people just see a plumber — they've no idea I've played the Sydney Opera House or I'm about to perform at the Royal Albert Hall. It's a different life. But being in Black Dyke means the world to me. My bandmates are incredible — I can't think of any other hobby that would bring me this number of friends."
Tenor horn Siobhan Edwards changed both jobs and location to dedicate her time to Black Dyke, having discovered her musical talent for brass at the age of three. The 28-year-old former primary school teacher moved from her home in the Midlands to Huddersfield in West Yorkshire and started a pet services business to give her the flexibility needed to practise and perform. She is one of seven women in the band, women having only been allowed to join 30 years ago. She says: "Once upon a time it was frowned upon for women to play brass. That scene in the film Brassed Off when the players all sit in judgement of the new girl was pretty accurate, I think. But we're past all that now and it's just as important that we look to the future as well as remember our past. That's why we've kept going for 170 years — you can't stand still."
Community and the Future
Being borne out of a community, Black Dyke remains community focused, staging regular local concerts and offering educational outreach to young people. There is also an ongoing heritage project underway to capture and celebrate its history. Nick, whose wife Alison and daughter also perform, says it's hard to pin down why the sound of brass instruments can be so moving. He says: "Hearing a brass band at full throttle is a bit like sitting on the wind of a jumbo jet taking off — the excitement and power is incredible. And brass music often takes you back in time — perhaps to a memory of listening to a band with someone who's no longer around or if you've been on holiday somewhere. It's very resonant."
The band's Proms performance will feature a blend of both film and contemporary music as well as some classical pieces. It will also showcase a new pair of socks on its conductor, a minor pre-show ritual Nick maintains. Can he see himself ever not being associated with Black Dyke? He laughs: "I'll be like the Alex Ferguson of music — he was at Manchester United for a long time and even when he finished he never left. I'm always looking at the next generation, searching for the best players but I'm just the custodian for now — Black Dyke will continue long after me."
*The Black Dyke Band will perform at the BBC Proms on Sunday July 19. Recognised as the world's leading classical music festival, the BBC Proms brings together the finest artists and ensembles from across the globe.
