A Harrogate man has won a place in the grand final of Channel 4’s The Piano.
Eighty-year-old Duncan captured the hearts of viewers with an incredible love story and won episode 1 of series 2, securing him a spot in the final.
The show sees gifted amateur pianists perform at a street piano in a different railway station each week. It is hosted by Claudia Winkleman and judged by international pop star Mika and Lang Lang, a musician described by the Guardian as “the greatest living pianist”.
The critically acclaimed first series won Best Original Programme at the Broadcast Awards and the second series began on Sunday, April 28.
Duncan first began playing the piano aged four. At a young age he found that he could play the piano by ear and has practised for 76 years.
On the show, Duncan played A Theme for Fran, a romantic song he wrote 30 years ago for his wife. Duncan and Fran first met in 1964 and have been married for 42 years.
Duncan and Fran from Harrogate shared their love story with The Piano’s audience. Image: Channel 4
The pair were both born in Leeds but have lived in the district for many years, first in Birstwith and now in Harrogate. Duncan qualified as a solicitor and played the piano regularly at Betty’s in Harrogate until the covid pandemic.
He was scouted for the second series of Channel 4’s The Piano when a video of him playing was shared to social media.
Duncan has had Alzheimer’s disease for six years, but was only diagnosed with it two years ago, and now uses his musical talent as as a form of medicine.
Duncan and Fran attend a dementia hub in Burton Leonard run by Dementia Forward. The couple play and sing with community groups such as St Peter’s Church market days and at Harrogate’s Christ Church, where each Thursday a pianist with dementia plays. Duncan performs there monthly, and it was a video of this that the producers saw.
The first episode showcased the talented pianists of the North when a piano was installed in Manchester Piccadilly station. The judges said Duncan’s performance was “beautiful” and it sounded “like a piece from another time, very romantic.”
The judges and host of ‘The Piano,’ left to right: Lang Lang, Claudia Winkleman and Mika. Image: Channel 4
Mika said:
“There was one moment where we were able to understand why we are doing this all over again. Where the piano just had its place and music just made sense, and that was during the performance of Duncan.”
In an exclusive interview with the Stray Ferret, Fran said:
“It is an incredible privilege. It was a remarkable experience and it was so lovely listening to the comments of Mika and Lang Lang. It was stunning to listen to the other talent.
“It has given us an incredible experience and an opportunity, given Duncan’s age and Alzheimer’s it shows it is never too late to dream. To hear the feedback from Lang Lang and Mika gave him an extra sense of being appreciated for playing.
“They loved the story as well as his playing. We feel that it will inspire others, no matter their age or condition. It shows people there is always something positive to pull out of life. It’s wonderful.”
Duncan playing ‘A Theme for Fran’ at Manchester Piccadilly Station. Image Channel 4
She added:
“A Theme for Fran was written 30 years ago, but it is still so relevant. Every time he plays it there is such a lot of love, I just have to whizz over to the piano and kiss him. It encompasses everything about him and our romance. It means a huge amount to both of us and to show everyone has made it even more special.
“It shows how magical music is. Music is a bridge that spans over fragmented thoughts and connects with feeling. When he is at the piano he is himself. The piano brings back his sense of self, when he plays there are no lost threads.”
Duncan added:
“Music to me is the most perfect melodies and beautiful harmonies.”
Duncan will play in the series finale at Aviva studios, where tickets have been sold to raise funds to install pianos in every railway station in the country. He added that he is available and would love to play in more fundraising events.
The moment Duncan won the episode and secured a spot in the grand finale. Image: Channel 4
To watch Duncan’s performance on The Piano, click here. The next episode of The Piano will air tonight (May 5) at 9pm.
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Ripon’s Billie Marten set to perform at Glastonbury
Ripon singer songwriter Billie Marten is set to perform at Glastonbury Festival this summer.
The 24 year old indie-folk singer is set to make her Glastonbury debut on ‘The Field of Avalon’ stage, an area the festival describes as “representing the best in the world of contemporary, roots and folk music”.
She was born in the village of Risplith, just outside Ripon, and was introduced to music at a young age thanks to her parents who surrounded her with the music of Nick Drake, Joni Mitchell, Joan Armatrading, Kate Bush, and northern folk artist Chris Wood.
Billie attended Ripon Grammar School and won a record deal alongside studying and released ‘Ribbon’ her debut single in May 2014 aged 14.
She was then signed to Chess Club Records, an imprint of Sony. Not long afterwards, she was nominated for the BBC Sound of 2016.
Billie Marten, image Chuffmedia
Her critically acclaimed debut album, ‘Writing of Blues and Yellows’ was also released in 2016, when she was just 17. The following year, she moved to London, where she worked on her 2019 album, ‘Feeding Seahorses By Hand.’
Towards the end of 2019, Billie left Sony and chose a new management team. She signed to Fiction records, a division of Universal, in lockdown via zoom where she released her 2021 album ‘Flora Fauna’.
Since then, she has toured frequently throughout the UK and US becoming known for her soft vocals, however, she has not yet performed to a crowd as big as Glastonbury.
My very first! @glastonbury pic.twitter.com/p8KcgiuAqj
— billie (@BillieMarten) April 16, 2024
Billie released her latest record ‘Drop Cherries’ at the start of the month on April 7 via Fiction Records.
Recorded entirely on tape in Somerset and Wales late last summer, ‘Drop Cherries’ marks the very first time that she has both written and co-produced one of her records.
The 24-year-old is set to perform on the same stage as Kate Nash, Lulu and Caity Baser at Glastonbury this summer.
The festival runs from June 26 to June 30.
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Music line-up for Deer Shed Festival announced
The family-friendly Deer Shed Festival has today announced its full music line-up for 2024.
The event, which takes place at Baldersby Park, Topcliffe from July 26 to 29, features diverse acts ranging from the African rhythms of KOKOKO! to LVR, whose members include Poet Laurette Simon Armitage.
Other headline acts include UK singer-songwriter Katherine Priddy, feminist quintet Nana Benz Du Togo and Leeds-based Deadletter plus Flamingods, The Coral, Bombay Bicycle Club and CMAT.
Deer Shed 2023
Also announced today are Oneda, Jessica Winter, Chalk, Lizzie No, Frankie Archer, The Itch, Dana Gavanski, Ellur, tinyumbrellas, Morgan Harper Jones, Lily Lyons, Aayushi, Our Man in the Field, Kathryn Williams and Withered Hand, Man/Woman/Chainsaw, Katie Gregson-MacLeod, Group Listening & Niki Stevens.
The comedy line-up, shows, films, science, sports, workshops, wellbeing and literary and spoken word are all still to be revealed.
Deer Shed has stages, tents, workshops, sports activities and outdoor fun for children and families to enjoy together. Tickets are on sale now.
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Meet the barbershop chorus promoting older men’s mental health
A Harrogate-based barbershop chorus is promoting wellbeing for older men.
The oldest member of Harrogate Harmony Barbershop Chorus (HHBC) is 92 and the youngest is 66.
Public relations officer Leo Niemiec believes the group can help men’s physical and mental health. He said:
“You cannot worry and sing at the same time.”
Men’s mental health is a pressing concern. In 2021, men made up 74% of suicide victims in England and Wales, according to figures release by the ONS.
A report by mental health charity Mind found that 40% of men regularly feel ‘worried or low’, and Age UK has suggested that 22% of older men have depression.
HHBC, who perform acapella in four-part harmony, rehearse every week at St Peter’s Church in Harrogate town centre.
The group will be performing at the Victoria Shopping Centre in Harrogate on Friday, February 2 at 11am.
The chorus is also offering a five-week singing course for men that will begin on Valentine’s Day (February 14). The full course costs £10 and no previous experience of singing is required. Applicants do not have to audition or be able to read music, and can find out more by emailing chairman@harrogateharmony.org.uk.
Harrogate Harmony Barbershop Chorus can be booked by emailing engagements@harrogateharmony.org.uk.
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Harrogate Music Weekender: line-up revealed
The line-up has been revealed for the first Harrogate Music Weekender, which begins in seven days.
Thirty events will take place from Friday, October 13 to Sunday, October 15 and feature everything from rock and acoustic to Ibiza anthems and throwback hits.
Fifteen venues including Manahatta, Husk Beer Emporium, Artizan Café, Piccolino, The Den and Foundry Project will take part in the music extravaganza.
Harrogate Business Improvement District, which is funded by local businesses to increase the number of town centre visitors, has organised the event.
It hopes the event, along with next week’s Visit Harrogate Restaurant Week and the ongoing Harrogate Comedy Festival will provide a town centre boost in the pre-Christmas lull.
DJ Mark Green will kick off the weekend at the Yorkshire Hotel at 6pm on the Friday night with an Ibiza-themed closing party.
As well as the events across the weekend, Harrogate BID will have a walking DJ booth and street performers in the town.
Matthew Chapman, Harrogate BID manager said:
“We are looking forward to making this a successful annual offer in the Harrogate events calendar and hopefully bring people from far and wide into the town to experience the vibrant live music offer that we have.”
Here is the line-up.
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Friday, October 13
Opening event – 6 – 8PM – The Yorkshire Hotel Sky Bar – DJ Mark Green
5:30pm – 7:30pm – Foundry Project – Robbie Miller
7pm – 9pm – Doubletree by Hilton Majestic Hotel & Spa – DJ in Fredericks Lounge
7pm – 11pm – West Park Hotel – DJ & Sax
7:30pm – 9:30pm – Artizan Café – Musical Empowerment, a local inclusive band
8pm – 10pm – Piccolino – DJ
8pm – 10pm – Manahatta – North Road live band
8pm – 10pm – Husk – Biz & Jason band
8pm – 10pm – The Yorkshire Hotel – DJ Dean Snowdon
8pm – midnight – Doubletree by Hilton Majestic Hotel & Spa – Abba Tribute Night (ticketed)
8pm – late – Foundry Project – DJ Patrick Wood
10pm – midnight – The Den – The Robbie Miller Band
Saturday, October 14
2pm – 4pm – HMV, Victoria Shopping Centre – Ade Payne
2pm – 6pm – Harrogate Theatre – Ember and Matt Edgington
3pm – 5pm – The Den – Biz Denton
3pm – late – West Park Hotel
Opening event – 6pm – 8pm – The Crown Hotel – Singo Bingo
7:45pm – 9:15pm – The Den – The Henri Gaston Experience Nigel Clark
8pm – late – Revolucion De Cuba – Mariachi Band and DJ
7pm – late – Manahatta – DJ Max Czernik
8pm – late – Foundry Project – DJ
8pm – late – Piccolino – DJ Josh Farcas
9:45pm – 10:45pm – The Den – Jonny Skinner
11pm – 12:30am – The Den – Nigel Clark (90’s front man from Dodgy)
Sunday, October 15
12pm – 4pm – Husk – Husk’s Sunday Wax – Bring Your Own Vinyl and we’ll play at least 1 side!
1pm – 5pm – Cedar Court Hotel Tipi on The Stray – Nathan – So ‘n’ So Music
4pm – 7pm – Banyan – North Road lead singer and drummer double act
4pm – 11pm – Husk – Harrogate’s Indie’s Block Party DJ Takeover featuring Pizza Social, Husk, Lillypad & Mabgate Bleach on the decks
7pm – 8:45pm – The Den – Jake Pattinson
9pm – 11pm – The Den – Hobo Chic
Harrogate musician signs deal with global publisher
A young Harrogate musician has signed a global publishing deal after his music proved a hit on social media.
KiD RAiN – whose real name is Dan Reynard – has been working as a songwriter for many years, but has just signed with Peermusic, the largest independent music publisher in the world.
He has achieved 250 million video views and 30 million streams for previous releases, including I Hope You Never Fall in Love Again, and a cover of Counting Crows’ Accidentally in Love.
It’s on TikTok where he has become a real star: his music has been shared by celebrities including Khloe Kardashian.
Teasers for his new single Half got more than half a million views on the video sharing platform. He said the song explores the move from childhood to adulthood:
“I often find myself questioning whether I’m truly a kid or a grown-up. Half is a heartfelt anthem for those who find themselves caught in life’s limbo.”
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The former Ripon Grammar School student began writing music aged just 12.
After studying A level music technology, as well as history, economics and business studies in 2014, he toured the UK in his band :PM, formed with four of his schoolmates.
He has been a prolific songwriter throughout his career, having worked with songwriters for Little Mix, Years & Years, Lana Del Ray and Ed Sheeran.
After going solo in 2020, he climbed the Apple Music and Spotify charts, and had one of his songs chosen as a BBC Introducing Track of the Week. His music has also appeared on Nickelodeon, which declared “KiD RAiN is on his way up”.
Now being hotly tipped as the next big thing by music industry professionals, he still remembers his nerves when he embarked on his first headline tour:
Suds With Buds celebrates world’s brewers, street food and live music“I was so certain we wouldn’t sell enough tickets and the venues would be mostly empty, but I was so blown away by how many people showed up.
“To go to places like Glasgow and see your name above the venue door and hear people sing songs you wrote in your bedroom was amazing. Surely they all have better things to do than watch an idiot dance around on stage? Apparently not.”
This story is sponsored by Rooster’s Brewing Co.
Brewers from across the UK and the United States have been invited to bring their finest beers to Harrogate for Rooster’s Brewing Co’s first ever Suds With Buds festival of beer, street food and music.
The event on Saturday, July 1 will see more than 20 breweries converge on Rooster’s Hornbeam Park home, spanning the brewery and yard, Taproom, beer garden and The Sample Room upstairs.
Tom Fozard, commercial director at Rooster’s, said:
“Suds With Buds is an event we’ve been wanting to put on for several years, but one thing or another has stopped initial ideas from becoming reality… until now! On the back of Rooster’s celebrating our 30th anniversary in 2023, we’re biting the bullet and making it happen.
“Some of the UK’s most respected and talked about breweries will be descending upon our little corner of the world, as well as a handful travelling from much further afield, creating a truly unique, combined line-up of over 100 beers.”
Brewers and food from across the world
Joining brewers from Britain, such as Burning Sky in Sussex and Cromarty Brewing Co in Scotland, will be Colorado brewers Odell Brewing Co and Crooked Stave, and Stiegl from Austria. Some brewers will even be flying in specially to pour their brews in person, including: Jeremy Grinkey, co-owner of California start-up Everywhere; Kevin Smith, head brewer at Bale Breaker Brewing Co in Yakima, Washington; Evan Price, owner of Green Cheek Brewing Co in California; and Jaakko Saivosalmi, managing director of Finnish cider company Brinkhall.
On top of the beers, some of the tastiest street-food the North has to offer will be served up by local legends Paradise Tap & Taco and Jack In A Box, as well as Knead Pitta and the Pizza Bus from further afield.
There will also be live music on a specially-built stage in the beer garden, featuring Sheffield two-piece Hot Soles, Ralph Pelleymounter, David Broad, Ramona Rose, The Silver Reserve and Trainer Trouble.
Tom said:
“To say this is the first event of its kind we’ve decided to put on, we can’t quite believe the quality of the musicians we’ve managed to secure! It really is just a ridiculous line-up.
“As with the previous annual open days we used to host back on our old site in Knaresborough, we’ll have Tony Safari spinning his ever eclectic collection of funky vinyl in The Sample Room throughout the day too.”
Suds With Buds will run from 2 to 8pm on Saturday, July 1. Tickets cost £25 and the price includes a souvenir Suds With Buds glass, as well as an event programme with full beer menu. The price of the tickets will also cover all of the associated costs of putting on the break-even event, including staffing, equipment, the provision of a wellness area, security, the musicians and additional facilities.
Find out more:
To secure your ticket for this unprecedented celebration of modern UK and US brewing and to sample some of the finest beers in the world, some of them never before served on this side of the Atlantic, just head to the Suds With Buds page of Rooster’s website.
Use code FERRET_10 at checkout and save 10%!
Knaresborough’s Conyngham Hall to hold outdoor Pink Floyd classical concert
A 20-strong orchestra will play music by Pink Floyd in the first outdoor concert to be held at Conyngham Hall in Knaresborough.
Paradox Orchestra will perform hits such as Wish You Were Here, Money, and Comfortably Numb in an event on September 3 celebrating 50 years of one of the most influential rock groups in history.
The grounds of the grade two listed venue near the River Nidd in Knaresborough can hold up to 2,000 people.
A number of food and drink vendors will also attend the concert by candlelight to give it a festival feel.
Paradox Orchestra features classically-trained musicians who reimagine rock, pop, and dance classics.
Founder and artistic director Michael Sluman said:
“Like a sonic time machine, Pink Floyd’s music has taken us on a journey through the past 50 years, capturing the essence of each era and leaving an indelible mark on the history of music.
“Paradox Orchestra is looking forward to performing their greatest hits in such a stunning backdrop.”
“We promise audiences an incredibly high-level of musicianship on stage, as well as a showmanship associated with world-class large-scale orchestras.”
Tickets cost £25. Further information is available here.
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