There’s nothing quite like the sound of an orchestra piercing a frosty festive night with merry music that hugs your soul. For those lucky enough to be in attendance at the stunning St Nicholas Church on December 4th that’s probably what you got to experience thanks to the Henry Desmond Orchestra.
Henry is the namesake and the driving force behind the orchestra and CommunityAd had the absolute pleasure of a chat with the conductor.
So, Henry what was the motivation behind starting the orchestra back in 2016?
The reason for starting the orchestra originally was to support my church, St Peter and St Pauls in Shoreham at Christmas. Doing this made me realise that I wanted to do something more with it than 1 concert a year.
It’s evolved a bit since then, hasn’t it?
The Orchestra has evolved massively since the early days. As I began to plan the early concerts the orchestra and brand around it began to build more and more. With this I wanted to move the orchestra away from a traditional classical symphony orchestra and into a more versatile ensemble. This is the reason why we became a Pops Symphony Orchestra. During that time I began exploring the ability to include my enjoyment of Musical Theatre into the orchestra, from this I knew I wanted our first concert as a “brand” to be based on Musical Theatre and welcoming people into the world of Musicals.
Just how wonderful does it feel to be able to perform to the community of Sevenoaks this Christmas time, given the lockdowns and 2020’s isolated Christmas?
Last year was tough for everyone, but I think the restrictions imposed over Christmas really did hit everyone the hardest. Not being able to see family and friends, to follow the traditions that you have grown up with and to do the things you always do at Christmas time was incredibly hard and no more so than for musicians, whose diaries are always packed out during November and December and all of us at HDO were no different.
To be back this Christmas* feels amazing and to be doing it in a new venue for the orchestra is going to be great! We have an amazing line up of musicians and and even better set list for everyone to enjoy from classics like The Nutcracker Suite, to Modern Christmas pop songs and hits from movies!
Given the time of year, I’m obliged to ask, what’s your favourite Christmas song? Do you perform any songs from Christmas films?
Wow, that’s a hard one, there are so many amazing Christmas songs. I think I would have to say – “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”. We do have a few pieces of Christmas music in our repertoire including the Polar Express and Home Alone. This Christmas we will be performing a suite from Disney’s Frozen!
The orchestra supports a mental health charity amongst others, how can music and access to the arts help one’s mental health do you think?
Very early after our establishment I got into talks with different charities that were close to me and how we could support them through our music and performances. It is well known that engaging in art and music activities helps to alleviate challenges such as loneliness and ageing. However, it is also now known that art engagement can alleviate anxiety, depression and stress.
How long have you lived in Sevenoaks and what makes it such a sublime place to call home?
I have lived in Sevenoaks all my life in, being born and growing up in Shoreham then recently moving to Halstead with my fiancée! Sevenoaks is a great place to call home, especially because of its rich and vibrant arts scene which I’m sure helped to carve the passions I have for the arts now!
Are there any plans to perform for our readers in the New Year?
2022 has many plans in the pipeline for the orchestra and Show Band which we are super excited about! 2022 is looking to be an interesting year where we explore new concert ideas and different ways to bring our art for to local audiences.
To find out more about the orchestra and future performances head to their website or the Henry Desmond Orchestra Facebook page.