Vibrant programme announced for this year’s Hannells Darley Park Concert

Mon 15 Jul 2019

The much-loved Hannells Darley Park Concert, one of the UK’s biggest outdoor classical concerts, will be returning on Sunday 1 September to the stunning natural amphitheatre of Darley Park. This year’s event will be supported by Hannells, Derby Telegraph, Flint Bishop Solicitors, Homes 2 Opportunities, HUUB, Mobile Solutions, Mortgage Advice Bureau, Stratstone BMW Derby and WDS Limited.

2019’s concert will celebrate 1969 and Golden Anniversaries and will, of course, see the return of East Midlands Grammy-nominated and RPS Awards winning orchestra Sinfonia Viva, with a performance supported by Rolls-Royce.

The programme is set to delight audiences yet again with a mix of classical favourites and a selection of music to commemorate iconic moments from 1969 including the release of Abbey Road by the Beatles, the Moon Landing and Concorde’s first flight. The programme kicks-off with Strauss R’s opening of Also Sprach, the most famous piece linked with space and the launch of the space craft, closely followed by one of Tchaikovsky’s best-loved vocal pieces None but the Lonely Heart.

There are classical takes on The Beatles Here Comes the Sun and Liberty Bell, Monty Python’s theme song and the ultimate nod to 1969 with Brian Adam’s unmistakable hit Summer of ’69. Fans of dancing will be wowed with the toe-tapping number Gold and Silver Waltz and Derby County fans will be entertained with the sound of Steve Bloomer’s Watchin’ – performed like they’ve never heard before.

Councillor Robin Wood, Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture and Tourism said:

“Sinfonia Viva have created a programme which is sure to entertain the Darley Park crowds. With this incredible array of music and, of course, the unmissable fireworks, it’ll delight many a generation.

“It’s always wonderful to see the people of Derby and beyond flock to Darley Park to make the evening their own, with friends and families sharing a picnic enjoying the evening together.”

Sinfonia Viva, who are supported by Rolls-Royce, have confirmed the concert conductor Ben Pope. As prize-winning graduate of Oxford University and the Royal College of Music, he has huge experience of all genres of music. Ben has worked with orchestras including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Hallé Orchestra as well as the BBC Concert Orchestra.

In addition to his performances in concert, Ben is a highly experienced conductor for ballet: he is Music Director of the Royal Ballet of Flanders and has worked extensively with companies throughout the world.

Having performed at Darley Park many times before, Derby LIVE is pleased to welcome back talented soloist Grant Doyle to lead the vocal numbers.  Born in Adelaide, Grant graduated with Honours from the University of Adelaide, winning the Elder Scholarship to continue his studies on the Opera School at the Royal College of Music.

For the Royal Opera he has performed over a dozen roles and has appeared regularly in the Linbury Studio Theatre. Grant also has many major opera credits and appears regularly as a soloist in Raymond Gubbay concerts such as Classical Spectacular and Last Night of the Proms

The Darley Abbey Choir will be providing the pre-Viva entertainment and its performance will include The Darley Abbey Anthem written for the choir by local musician Anne de Waal who also rehearses the group. This will be followed a performance of songs from the Jungle Book by children who have worked with Derby Theatre and Sinfonia Viva. During the interval there will be a musical performance from the Saxophonix Ensemble, an international award-winning youth saxophone ensemble, which has toured New York and New Orleans. The musicians are all highly skilled young musicians, with members of the ensemble attending a number of the “London" Junior Music Academies.

Peter Helps, Chief Executive of Sinfonia Viva said:

“Sinfonia Viva is thrilled to be back at Darley Park for 2019. This year’s programme includes a vibrant collection of music which reflects upon some of the greatest moments from 1969. We didn’t have to dig deep into history to find some brilliantly iconic moments; we’re excited to bring them to life through the bold and inspiring sound of classical music.


“We’re delighted to be joined once again by Darley favourite Grant Doyle and are pleased to be welcoming Ben Pope to the Park”

The Hannells Darley Park Concert, supported by Hannells, Derby Telegraph, Flint Bishop Solicitors, Homes 2 Opportunities, HUUB, Mobile Solutions, Mortgage Advice Bureau, Stratstone BMW Derby and WDS Limited, will take place at Darley Park on Sunday 1 September from 6pm, with gates open from 2pm. Tickets bought up to 31 July are standard £3.50, under 16s free. Tickets bought from 1 August are standard £5.00, under 16s £2.50. Tickets bought on the day of the concert are standard £7.50, under 16s £2.50.

With tickets now on sale it is never too early to book for this fantastic evening of classical music and fireworks. Tickets can be purchased from 01332 255800, online at derbylive.co.uk, or be booked in person at the Sales & Information Centre, Riverside Chambers, Full Street, Derby, DE1 3AF.