Page 289 - Liverpool Philharmonic 22-23 Season Coverage Book

David Nicholas, 87, is well-known for his incredible dedication and passion for
theatre and cinema music and of course his organ playing skills. Being the
longest serving resident organist at the Liverpool Philharmonic, arriving full time
in 1989, Dave said there is "nowhere like it in the world" as it brings joy to many
people across the world.

Dave, who believes he is one of the "oldest in the business", performs for the
Philharmonic film screenings and has never missed a single show during the 33
years he has been there. But his unique skillset allows him the "unusual"
performance of creating theatrical sounds on the classical organ.

Speaking about his time at the Philharmonic, Dave told the ECHO: It's amazing to
be part of. It's the oldest orchestra, it's all very unique. There's nowhere like it in
the world."

But it all began when he was a young boy, born opposite the Plaza Cinema in
Birkenhead, and learnt the piano. He "fell in love" with the organ around 1947
when he heard recordings from the late Ken Griffin.

Organist at Liverpool Philharmonic Dave Nicholas (Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)
He went on to play at the Plaza as well as the Sandon Hotel and other various
locations, but it was when he worked in Butlins in 1961 that he really "learned
the business". For 11 years, Dave worked as an entertainer and gained much
experience through a variety of performances in theatre, cinema, ballrooms and
dance festivals as well as church services. It was here he taught himself to
"experiment".

He said: "It was amazing, it put me on the map. I did movie news there on a
Friday showing events of the week and all those years later I did it here at the
Phil, it was wonderful."

But for Dave, he cannot narrow down one single thing he enjoys the most as he
said there are "too many to count". With music changing "dramatically" over the
years, Dave says he performs many of his songs "from memory" and while at the
Philharmonic he likes to mix things up and plays "sing-along tunes" during the
film interval.

Dave, who has also worked for Woods of Bolton, the Conn organ dealership, and
went to work full-time at the Rushworth's store in Merseyside - which was
established in 1828 by William Rushworth. For 21 years, the 87-year-old was the
store's organ and piano demonstrator until the late 90's.