From the Archives: Darwin Pops Orchestra
DSO Life Member Kevin Davis AM sat down with us to share about the story behind the Darwin Pops Orchestra
In 1991, Kevin Davis was Deputy Vice Chancellor of the previous Northern Territory University, which we now know as Charles Darwin University. At the time, the government tasked 12 universities with attracting international students to Australia. So each university sent a representative to tour American universities, which is how Kevin found himself in Boston.
While in Boston, he hoped to catch a performance of the famous Boston Pops Orchestra, known for its light classical music shows in the summer. However, he soon found there were no tickets left for their season finale.
In desperation, he made a bold call and when he found out the manager had finished for the season, the conversation went a little like this:
“Are you sitting at the manager’s desk at the moment?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, good. Well, if you have a look in his right-hand drawer, in the corner there will be a couple of tickets he’s got it set aside for emergencies. This is an emergency. I’m from Darwin, Australia, yes, yes, I’m a cyclone victim…”
“Okay, hang on, I’ll see what I can do.”
She had found a ticket for Kevin and told the box office attendant to look out for this mad Australian.
The first half was a serious concerto, while guests had dinner. The second half was where the fun began. The renown conductor and composer John Williams came to the podium, looked around, pointed to somebody in the audience, and invited them to come up and conduct the orchestra. They conducted The Star-Spangled Banner as a massive American flag rolled down in the background. Then John Williams came back to conduct a program full of Star Wars and other favourites.
So that’s how Kevin got to see the Boston Pops Orchestra, conducted by John Williams. He took note of all the little details that made it an impressive, fun and a seamless experience and brought it back to Darwin.
This is how, in 1991, DSO became the Darwin Pops Orchestra for one night. They played Waltzing Matilda, complete with the Australian flag, food service prepared by the university’s culinary students, and a fundraising event for local legend Dean Patterson’s solar car race from Darwin to Adelaide, of course.
