
Today I’m thrilled – and ever so slightly trepidatious – to be commencing work on a substantial new project: a set of full-scale orchestrations for a brand new musical!
The show is called ‘Night Flight’, and is a tale of danger and daring set in Latin America in the early years of flight, which asks the question: what are we willing to sacrifice for the sake of progress? (N.B. Yes I did pinch that summary from somewhere else.) I had the pleasure of helping out with this musical back in 2021, when I put together a few of the piano-vocal arrangements for the original workshop production. So I was delighted when the inimitable songwriting duo of Luke Simnett and David Staines (the collective brains behind the show) asked if I’d be interested in expanding the music into a full set of orchestral scores, in readiness for a potential album recording.
I’m also excited to report that we’re taking a real no-holds-barred approach in terms of scale. I’m really going to stretch out over the broad canvas of a large-scale symphony orchestra, and that will then be brought to life through the magic of virtual instruments (with one or two real woodwinds thrown in by myself)! For those who are into this stuff, here’s the instrumental line-up as it stands:
Woodwind
Piccolo
Flute x2
Oboe x2
English Horn
Clarinet x2
Bass clarinet
Bassoon x2
Contrabassoon
Brass
French Horn x4
Trumpet x3
Trombone x2
Bass Trombone
Tuba
Percussion
As required, but definitely a motley selection of timpani, cymbals, drum kit and maybe a silly noise or two.
Harp
Strings
Violin I
Violin II
Viola
Cello
Double Bass
So you see it’s going to be rather epic. But it’s also rather intimidating to be faced with a screen that looks like this (especially given the title of this first song):

I have a feeling, however, that I can’t really procrastinate much longer – I’ve already baked a cake, sifted some gravel in the garden, vacuumed the carpet, and written an extensive blog post. Yeah, maybe it is time I made a start. Wish me luck.
I’ll just make one more cup of tea first though…