Play Up the Band

A Yorkshire coal mine is threatened with closure and the only hope is for the men to enter their Grimley Colliery Brass Band into a national competition. They believe they have no hope until Gloria appears carrying her Flugelhorn. At first mocked for being a woman, she soon becomes the only chance for the band to win.

A new student ,Eiji is forced into playing the drums for the school band by his classmate, Nanao. From the first moment he holds a drumstick in his hands, the rhythm inside Eiji is awakened and he soon becomes captive to its sonic boom. The obsessive and demanding Nanao is soon swayed by Eiji's bright character and natural kindness. Under Nanao's leadership, the band starts making waves in local competitions. Despite their success, can they survive the pressures of school, relationships, and their dreams? In Beat Kids, Director Toshi Shioya weaves a passionate rock and roll coming of age story about a teenager who uses music to turn growing pains into something extraordinary.

The American comedian/actor delivers a story about the alternative Hip Hop scene. A small town Ohio mans moves to Brooklyn, New York, to throw an unprecedented block party.

In their last year of high school, two girls in the brass band club perform a song inspired by a fairy tale that parallels their friendship.

The Bower Family Band petitions the Democratic National Committee to sing a Grover Cleveland rally song at the 1888 convention, but decide instead to move to the Dakota territory on the urging of a suitor to their eldest daughter. There, Grampa Bower causes trouble with his pro-Cleveland ideas, as Dakota residents are overwhelmingly Republican, and hope to get the territory admitted as two states (North and South Dakota) rather than one in order to send four Republican senators to Washington. Cleveland opposed this plan, refusing to refer to Congress the plan to organize the Dakotas this way. When Cleveland wins the popular vote, but Harrison the presidency due to the electoral college votes, the Dakotans (particularly the feuding young couple) resolve to live together in peace, and Cleveland grants statehood to the two Dakotas before he leaves office (along with two Democrat-voting states, evening the gains for both parties).

Following their success in the qualifying round for the Kansai regional competition, the members of the Kitauji High School concert band set their sights on the next upcoming performance. Utilizing their summer break to the utmost, the band participates in a camp where they are instructed by their band advisor Noboru Taki and his friends who make their living as professional musicians. Kumiko Oumae and her friends remain determined to attain gold at the Kansai competition, but trouble arises when a student who once quit the band shows interest in rejoining and sparks unpleasant memories for the second-year members. Kumiko also learns about her teacher's surprising past and the motivation behind his desire to lead the band to victory. Reaching nationals will require hard work, and the adamant conviction in each student's commitment to the band will be put to the test.

Westminster Choir College presents their yearly holiday music concert in WESTMINSTER CHOIR COLLEGE: AN EVENING OF READINGS AND CAROLS. Recorded in the Princeton University Chapel, the program features more than 400 musicians in five different choirs. The musical numbers performed in the hour-long special encompass a variety of styles, including traditional Christmas carols with audience participation, beloved choral works, a diverse array of holiday standards, and contemporary arrangements that both surprise and delight. Together with a number of secular readings, the evening brings beauty and comfort to viewers at this special time of year.

After swearing off music due to an incident at the middle school regional brass band competition, euphonist Kumiko Oumae enters high school, hoping for a fresh start. As fate would have it, she ends up surrounded by people with an interest in the brass band. Kumiko finds the motivation she needs to make music once more with the help of her bandmates, some old friends, some new. However, in the band itself, chaos reigns supreme. Despite their intention to qualify for the national band competition, as they currently are, just competing in the local festival will be a challenge—unless new band advisor Noboru Taki does something about it.