About Dominic

Like so many journeys, an important stage of mine began on a bench in an airport departure lounge. I remember that bench as it was my bed for the night; perforated and smooth, made comfortable by my plump travel bag which doubled as a pillow through the small hours. Arriving eight hours before flight check-in was my way of ensuring punctuality at all costs. This, after all was a realisation of my musical ambitions; this was my first professional engagement as a double bassist with the orchestra of my dreams. A two-week tour of Europe in the company of musicians I revered on every level. I was 23yrs old, green and I knew it, eager to learn, easily led (by the right people) and driven by a feeling of passion and respect for the bass section I’d be working with; every team member a legend in my eyes.

Fast forward, and fifteen wonderful years of concerts, camaraderie and touring would pass before I realised that I ought to take a holiday, a break from the schedule. The point, you see, is that rehearsing and performing with the orchestra rarely felt like work; instead, a sense of immersion both socially and professionally.

I’ll give you an example of an orchestral day trip to Spain. The itinerary read a little like this:
3.30am alarm, 4am taxi to airport, coffee, 7am flight, land Barcelona around 10am, coffee, coach journey to concert Hall and find lunch in a local tapas bar, rehearsal from 3-6pm, coffee! More tapas. Concert 8pm-10.30pm for audiences ranging from 3000- 100,000 people, jump on coach back to airport, midnight flight, land UK 2am, taxi home, tucked up by 3.30am! Glamorous hey!! It is on days like these that you realise why selection for orchestral jobs can take up to three years. Being so immersed in the team demands the right choice of personnel: before you know it, your colleagues have become family! Being part of an ensemble which functioned and found balance so naturally gave me insight and a deeper understanding of the complex workings of the orchestral machine. I say ‘machine’ but really an orchestra is more akin to a living organism, capable of adapting and overcoming challenges in an instant, often imperceptibly.

Over the years, discretion, empathy, diplomacy and a pint of humility became and remain key tools in my everyday survival kit, combined with an openness to learn and an unrestrained, relentless imagination. I have meandered my way to ‘Artsincursion’: my platform, my space for transforming and actioning creative thoughts, a platform where ‘what if’ is no longer said with regret but rather with a sense of challenge and excitement at what could be.

Dominic was educated at the Royal College of Music in London and the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester where his first study was double bass. Over the last 25 years Dominic has experienced the world stage at the highest level with performances in Europe, Japan, China, US, South America, New Zealand and Australia, performing at such venues as Carnegie Hall, Sydney Opera House, Barcelona football stadium and The Vatican in the presence of Pope John Paul II. Closer to home, Dominic has enjoyed several performances in the Ballroom of Buckingham Palace for members of the royal family as well as playing at Highgrove House, in the presence of HRH The Prince of Wales. In his earlier life Dominic was fortunate enough to perform to HRH Diana Princess of Wales at St David’s hall.  A high point in Dominic’s career has been performing for HRH The Queen, as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations at Buckingham palace.

As well as working with such names as George Ezra, One Direction, Robbie Williams, Sam Smith, Barry Manilow and Kylie Minogue to name but a few, Dominic has worked as Orchestra Contractor on a number of projects ranging from chamber and theatre productions to the recording of film music. From 2016 – 2018, Dominic worked with China International Arts and Culture company as Creative Director, where part of his role was to create a portfolio of established UK ensembles and performance groups to present to clients in China. Through his inclusive style of leadership, Dominic is recognised as a diplomatic and empathetic leader who understands the high value of great team work and camaraderie.