BBC Northern Ireland series, The Band: Accordion women tell of close knit family behind the music and growing interest from children

This series follows bands playing in front of crowds lining the street in Scarva on 13 July as well as those performing at the World Pipe Championships in Glasgow.

"It was actually a real privilege to be involved," said Alicia Dickson Hamilton, who plays in Corbet Accordion Band, which practises in Kinallen, near Banbridge.

"It is great recognition for a small hard working band," she told the News Letter.

"My mummy brought me to the band practice when I was six weeks old and I am now 36. I started learning when I was six, so I am now playing the accordion 30 years."

Her grandfather helped start the current accordion band in 1974 after which her aunties, uncles and mother joined up.

Alicia's mum and dad met through the band scene and she also has a sister, niece, cousin and father in the band.

"So we're still very much family orientated. There's a big social aspect to a band, it is not just made up of people. It becomes like a family. I would say I know our members very, very strongly. I know what's going on in their home life and in their workplace. You're connected to them and you are seeing them maybe four times a week."

And there are major attractions for the younger generation.

"There's definitely a growth within the accordion band world. There is a discipline and structure that comes with it. You have to attend band practice and there's a variety of programmes, concerts and charity events. It is all about community events and traditional culture.

"For younger members there is free musical tuition which they can take right through their education. I for one played the accordion for my GCSE music and we've had a member that's gone on to university to study traditional music."

As the generations progress, the music also changes with them. The bands have become much more active within their communities and there has also been a drive within the band world to better themselves musically and in terms of presentation, she says.

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"I really do hope that from the documentary people will have a better understanding of the marching band community. They may see band parades regularly within Northern Ireland, but there's a whole lot more that goes on behind the scenes.

"A lot of people give up a lot of time to promote their culture and encourage young people to develop musically and they want the best for the community."

Accordion player Linda Cowan, a florist from Tandragee, tells a very similar story.

"I never got to meet my uncle Richard Cowan, who sadly died of leukaemia at the age of 26,” she said. “But he was one of the very first members to join Mavemacullen Accordion Band when it started up."

His brothers - her uncles - also joined and one of them was band master for a period of years. Then her sisters and brother signed and eventually she did too, followed by her sister's children.

"So it's nice to see it being passed from generation to generation and keeping our culture and heritage alive.

"I love the social aspect of it. I love the friends that I've made and I enjoy the camaraderie and most of all, as an escape from everyday business and busy life."

Some things do change from generation to generation.

"The uniform and style of playing changes, I think, with each generation and it improves with discipline and instruments, tunes and appearance. But all that being said we still practice the same traditional ways in the Orange Hall."

Under the current bandmaster Sharon Richardson they now play more music for big concerts and carol services as well as "road music". Several of the newer tunes are 'It's a working man I am' and 'May the circle be unbroken'.

"And personally speaking, we are growing. Social media has a great input to today's band scene with every young person on social media. They can see what happens from week to week with the band and it encourages them to join and gives them an interest."

• The third series of ‘The Band’ airs Wednesday 17 January at 10.40pm on BBC One NI, with three episodes: Click here for more details on iPlayer.