Brass band delighted to host concert with trumpet legend

This weekend will see a special anniversary concert take place in West Lothian,

Whitburn Band, the Scottish Open brass band champion, celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2020.

However, the pandemic prevented the band from holding its planned anniversary concert with trumpet legend, Mike Lovatt, and several other events.

Now, with restrictions eased once more in Scotland following the impact of the Omicron variant, more tickets are now available for the rescheduled concert with trumpet star Mike.

The event will take place on Saturday (February 5), at the Howden Park Centre in Livingston at 7.30pm, with tickets available on the centre’s website. Charlie Farren, Whitburn Band’s president, can’t wait to welcome the audience and said: “We are delighted that after two years, our 150th anniversary concert will now happen.

“We are very excited to mark this event in our home county of West Lothian, and we are also very excited to perform with Mike.

“It is sure to be a great night of music not to be missed.”

Mike is one of the most celebrated trumpet players in the world.

He has performed as the lead trumpet with the John Wilson Orchestra at the BBC Proms, and has also played on the soundtracks of hit movies including James Bond, Harry Potter and Avengers: Endgame.

In 2020, as the concert was postponed, the band instead performed in an online concert – produced by Ryan Bradley – which featured Mike in action.

Held in June, 2020, it was one of the first such online concerts by a British brass band.

When restrictions eased in Scotland in June, 2021, to allow brass bands to meet inperson once more, Whitburn spent the next few months preparing and performing at three competitions – the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain, the Dr Martin contest and the Scottish Open – with the band enjoying victories at the latter two.