It is good to be bad in this band (From Crewe Guardian)

It is good to be bad in this band

3:10pm Tuesday 11th November 2008 in

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ALEXANDER McCall Smith sat in the orchestra playing his bassoon with gusto, but noticed the sound coming from another musician did not seem quite right. It was not sharp or flat or out of time.

He looked over to see that his fellow musician was actually playing a completely different tune.

Dissolving into fits of giggles as he recalls the story, the bestselling author said: "He was struggling to make sense of it but nevertheless he carried on till the end."

McCall Smith, 59, best known for his warm, witty No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency series set in Botswana, says it was one of the worst – or best – moments he has had as founding member of the Really Terrible Orchestra, an amateur group of useless musicians, some of whom can not play any more than four notes. "We are all pretty ropey," he said.

"People will pay to see us because they love to see people struggling and things collapsing."

Alexander McCall Smith

"People will pay to see us because they love to see people struggling and things collapsing and people finishing at different times."

Yet the Really Terrible Orchestra has been a sell-out at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and other selected venues.

Even under the distinguished baton of professional conductor Richard Neville-Towle, they play pretty badly, he said.

"Sometimes there are people who come to the concerts who have never heard of us, so they are not sure what to expect.

“You see their expression changing as they suddenly get the joke. We usually sound flat but sometimes our tempo is a bit better.

“We play appallingly and people just howl with appreciation at the end."

His wife, retired doctor Elizabeth, plays the E-flat horn ‘very flat’.

But his daughters, Lucy and Emily, both medical students, have decided it is not their bag.

The idea came about several years ago when the couple decided they wanted to set up an orchestra which put no pressure on the musicians.

They could be as bad as you like.

It soon became a roaring success and provided a great social outlet – two members who met through the group have married and recently had a baby.

His music may not be all that brilliant, but his No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency novels set in Botswana and featuring female detective Precious Ramotswe have sold in their millions.

Earlier this year they were brought to television in the eponymous film, featuring American singer Jill Scott as Mma Ramotswe and directed by the late Anthony Minghella.

Tim Bricknell, who produced the first film, will be in charge of the next series.

"There's going to be a 13-part BBC television series which will be terrific," said McCall Smith.

"They are starting filming in September in Botswana."