MALCOLM BENNETT

Malcolm studied Trumpet and Composition at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and subsequently embarked on a musical journey playing with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, The London Symphony Orchestra, The BBC Symphony Orchestra, The Royal Opera House Covent Garden, The BBC Welsh Symphony Orchestra, The CBSO, The BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra, The Hallé, The Liverpool Philharmonic, The Royal Ballet and The London Philharmonic Orchestra. At this stage of his career, he also was in demand as a soloist performing the Haydn, Hummel and Telemann Trumpet Concertos and his entertaining lecture ‘The Trumpet Through The Ages’ all over the country.

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His early theatre experience involved playing for Summer shows with: Mike Yarwood, Paul Daniels, Peters and Lee and Michael Barrymore, and Winter pantomimes featuring: Jim Davidson, Derek Griffiths, Lionel Blair, Victor Spinetti, Windsor Davis, Charlie Drake, The Nolans and John Inman.

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Malcolm worked extensively with the Northern Dance Orchestra in Manchester and on moving to London he played with the London Palladium Orchestra under the baton of Gordon Rose and in big bands and on T.V. shows under the direction of Peter Knight, Alan Braden, and Johnny Howard [in early series’ of Come Dancing].

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As Lead Trumpet Malcolm performed in many West-End shows including: Irene, Beyond the Rainbow, The Biograph Girl, Barnum, Singin’ in the Rain, Call Me Madam, Annie, Cabaret, Starlight Express, Jesus Christ Superstar, Chicago, On the 20th Century, Wonderful Town and Irma la Douce.

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His touring/out-of-town experience saw him play for: Bob Hope, Gene Pitney, The Four Tops, The Drifters, The Three Degrees, Ken Dodd, Tommy Cooper, Dick Emery, Harry Worth, Frankie Vaughan, The Two Ronnies, Mike Yarwood, Bruce Forsyth, Dave Willetts, Jack Jones and Shirley Bassey.

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Throughout his playing career, Malcolm spent daylight hours arranging cabaret music for many artists and material for the BBC Concert Orchestra. He penned TV show arrangements for The Beautiful South and Tori Amos amongst others and for KTel records and Music For Pleasure he arranged albums for Val Doonican, Norman Wisdom and The Brighouse and Rastrict Brass Band. He wrote and arranged music for his own band, The Malcolm Bennett Orchestra who recoded many sessions for both BBC Radio 2 and Capital Radio.

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Malcolm was commissioned to write 2 pieces for the eminent trumpet soloist, James Watson to play with The Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra which proved to be so successful that James and Malcolm formed their own publishing company [Unlimited Music Ltd.] which boasted a catalogue of Solo Instrumental, Brass Ensemble and Brass Band Music.

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For more than 10 years Malcolm wrote a plethora of theatre arrangements and compositions for shows and pantomimes when he became Musical Supervisor/director to PMA Productions.