I’m honoured to sing at Stonor Proms, says Scot

STONOR Park’s Proms Spectacular will feature an opera singer who was made an OBE for services to music in the King’s birthday honours in June.

Nicky Spence will be performing with the Orion Orchestra next Saturday (June 12) together with swing singer Sam Griffiths and teenage singing sensation Malakai Bayoh, who was a finalist in this year’s Britain’s Got Talent.

The concert will start with a Spitfire display accompanied by well-known British war themes.

Proms pieces will include the Sailor’s Hornpipe, Rule Britannia and Jerusalem, among many others.

Nicky, 40, says: “We’ll have Land of Hope and Glory and all the big flag-wavers and we’ll have some Nessun Dorma.

“It’s a lovely opportunity to share classical music and the joy that it can bring in an incredible setting.”

The evening will end with a fireworks display synchronised to the orchestral score.

Nicky, who grew up on a farm in Dumfries and Galloway, spent his teenage years working in a fish and chip shop and it was through food that he was given his first taste of opera and future career.

He says: “I always enjoyed singing and somebody offered me a ticket to see The Magic Flute in Glasgow with Scottish Opera.

“I think they mentioned the word ‘pizza’ before, so I was like, ‘Where do I sign?’ and the love affair with opera began.

“I liked singing all kinds of music but my music teacher thought that I could have ambitions beyond Tom Jones and Michael Ball and that kind of thing. She steered me towards Schubert instead — it was a steep learning curve.”

Nicky hit the headlines in the Noughties, when he walked away from his £1 million recording contract. Instead of recording a second album, he returned to the Guildhall in London to study opera singing.

He recalls: “I could see my shelf life hurtling towards me in the world of commercial crossover and that it wasn’t full of integrity.

“I wasn’t really much in control of my destiny for the amount of energy I put in, which doesn’t always come out the other end.

“Whereas now, being involved in a fine art, there’s a lot more commitment but I’m pleased to do that because the gains are huge as well as the sense of satisfaction.”

Nicky likes the orchestra that will be accompanying him at Stonor.

“It’s filled with very young, up and coming musicians and it’s a really vibrant ensemble,” he says. “They’re all really enjoying the experience and it’s a great gang.

“It’s so important for musicians to cut their teeth abroad and we play across borders. If you look at any orchestra, it is made up of all different nationalities and that’s what makes it exciting because you’re playing the universal language of music.

“If we curtail opportunities and make it difficult, then it’s just going to slowly wither away and the wonderful display we saw at the King’s coronation wouldn’t be possible again in 50 years because we wouldn’t have the players of that level.”

He is looking forward to the Proms when he will be performing on the middle day between the Ibiza Orchestra Live on the opening night and an Abba tribute show on the final night.

“What’s great about music is that it brings everybody together,” says Nicky. “I think our night will be a celebration with that tingle which live classical music can bring. There will be who knows how many thousands sitting there and then we gild the lily with fireworks and a beautiful sunset.

“Even when the weather’s rubbish, everyone is so kind of gung-ho and that British spirit comes into play as people get their umbrellas and their sou’westers out.

“There are lots of different picnics. I often have a little look around and see who has gone to Waitrose and who has been down to Asda.

“In Henley, I mean, we’re dealing with professionals — they’ve got little buggies, china plates, drink dispensers and all kinds of things.

“Everybody should definitely come to Stonor, even if they haven’t heard classical music before. This is a great kind of offer for ‘first-time buyers’ of classical music and they’ll really surprise themselves with how much they enjoy it.”

• The Proms Spectacular Concert is at Stonor Park next Saturday. Gates open at 3.30pm and the concert runs from 5pm to 11pm. Tickets start from £22.50 for children aged five to 13 and £45 for adults and children aged 14 and over. Picnics are welcome. To book tickets, visit belevents.co.uk/proms-stonor