THE bright lights of Broadway and London's West End are not too dazzling for Karl Pendlebury to lose sight of his musical background in Blackburn.

The 31-year-old leading musical director has worked with a host of famous names and is now based in London.

But at the end of this month he will be taking a week out of his busy schedule to return to his roots and help students at Blackburn College stage a performance of "The Pirates of Penzance". PAULINE HAWKINS met him for Saturday People...

KARL Pendlebury is no name dropper but the list of people he has worked with is like a showbiz who's who.

Originally from Chorley, Karl attended Albany High School and went on to study for his A levels at Blackburn College between 1985 and 1988.

After his A levels he won a scholarship to Birmingham Conservatoire to study piano for a three-year BA honours degree and afterwards undertook a one-year post-graduate course at the Royal Academy in London.

His first taste of commercial musical success was in 1989, during his second year at Birmingham, when he played keyboard on a chart hit called "Cha Cha Heels". The pop single was an unusual collaboration involving Eartha Kitt and Bronski Beat, which arose from Karl's friendship with the high-energy band.

Just over a decade later, and Karl has turned his piano playing skills and love of music into a career which has seen him conducting a production of Sunset Boulevard in New York's Broadway.

He has also worked with star of British theatre Elaine Paige in Sunset Boulevard in the West End and later this year will be undertaking a national tour with a production of Joseph and ther Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

His role as musical director involves him auditioning musicians, singers and actors, being involved in rehearsals and making sure each show is performed to create maximum impact and enjoyment for theatre audiences.

During performances he either plays the piano or conducts. But he joked: "I don't like conducting. It makes my arms ache!"

After a draining performance Karl likes to unwind with a few drinks in the pub, but tends to avoid music stations when he needs to relax. "I live music all day so I tend to listen to Talk Radio," he said. While touring the UK he has made appearances on many regional television programmes and has worked with Linda Nolan, one of the Nolan Sisters, who had several chart hits in the 1970s.

"I have done lots of television with her. She is lovely -- all the Nolans are," he said.

When his hectic schedule allows Karl finds time to visit his parents, Robert and Margaret, who live in Willis Road, and his brother and sister, Mark and Karen, who also live in Blackburn.

None of them have musical backgrounds but Karl says he has received a lot of help and encouragement from them and from the college, where he has kept in touch with Michael Greenhalgh, head of music and performing arts.

And it was the continuing friendship which led Mr Greenhalgh to invite Karl to be joint musical director with him at the production of "The Pirates of Penzance" in the college theatre from Wednesday, March 28, to Saturday, March 31.

After his stint in Blackburn, Karl will resume a national tour of Blood Brothers and after Joseph is lined up to tour the UK with a production of Whistle Down The Wind, which will take him through to 2003.

"I have no ambitions left now apart from making lots of money," he said.

Mr Greenhalgh said Karl was always an impressive music student.

"He is a great character and a good musician. We have kept in touch and he has been back several times," he said.

Students at the college are staging the Broadway version of The Pirates of Penzance -- a pepped-up production featuring different orchestration and energetic routines -- for five nights, with performances starting at 7.45 pm. Tickets, £6 or £4.50 concessions, are available by telephoning the college on 01254 292929.