- Brendan Duffy entertained passengers on the last train from Leeds to Harrogate
- Were you on the train? In that case, please contact frankie.elliott@mailonline.co.uk
This is the amazing moment a retired music teacher was filmed entertaining train passengers by playing an impromptu performance on his saxophone.
Brendan Duffy, 67, boarded the last train from Leeds to Harrogate on Friday and was asked to ‘play a tune’ by other commuters after spotting his instrument case.
The former art teacher obliged and began a rendition of Tequilla from the Champs and the Pink Panther theme, causing scenes of jubilation up and down the carriages.
His performance was well received by the other travellers, including a stag party, who can be seen singing and dancing to the songs, with some eventually standing on their seats.
The recording went viral after it was posted on social media and has already been viewed more than 100,000 times on TikTok.
When asked why he decided to play for the passengers, Mr Duffy said: ‘I like seeing people happy and I think I made them even happier on the way home.’
Brendan Duffy (standing) boarded the last train from Leeds to Harrogate on Friday and was asked to ‘play a tune’ by the other commuters after they saw his instrument case
The former art teacher obliged and began a rendition of Tequilla from the Champs and the Pink Panther theme
The 67-year-old said he ‘loved seeing people happy’ after his performance went viral on social media
Mr Duffy had boarded a train that evening to return to his home in Headingley and opted to sit in a packed carriage, including a stag party.
He told BBC news: ‘I jumped on the train, it was quite lively. I had my saxophone case with me. I put it on the top shelf so everyone knew it was a musical instrument.
“Then they said, ‘You have to play a tune.’ You have to play it our chicken. We are so happy.’
The saxophonist’s performance was unfortunately limited to just two songs, when he noticed the train pulling into his station stop.
Mr Duffy added: ‘It’s about making people happy and myself as a musician, you could just feel the atmosphere on the train. Everyone went crazy.
‘It was contagious. I thought: I have to play the saxophone, but I also thought: I have to get off the train. I could have played all the way to Harrogate or York, but I don’t live there. I live in Headingley.’
Mr Duffy’s performance was well received by the other travellers, who can be seen singing and dancing to the songs, with some ending up dancing in their seats.
The recording of the performance was posted on TikTok and has been viewed more than 100,000 times
Mr Duffy’s newfound internet fame has led to a number of people praising the musician. Many in the Yorkshire region recognized him as their primary school music teacher.
One person wrote: ‘Wow! Mr. Duffy! Conductor of the orchestra at the Tinshill Middle School music center I attended. Made it a lot of fun.’
Another said: ‘Great to see him. I haven’t seen him since he taught me the clarinet at Mount St Mary’s seventeen years ago. Amazing memories.’
A third added: ‘He was my music teacher at Holy Rosary and St Anne’s primary school, he was the best.’
Asked if he would play to a train audience again, Mr Duffy said: ‘Yes, I will do it again. It’s a great experience. I can’t wait for the next train journey.’