Anne Hailes: At Home For Heroes promises to be a fabulous evening of local music

RICHARD Yarr is not a big-headed man; however, he can wear a dozen hats at one time, such is his skill.

In fact, he's a modest man with a CV to marvel at, including being freeman of the City of London, a King's College London graduate, a doctor of philosophy music, history, literature and theory and the man behind the BBC Northern Ireland School Choir of the Year.

Also an organist, he founded the Northern Ireland International Organ Competition, he's chair of the Charles Wood Festival and Summer School in Armagh and, within the BBC, Richard is senior producer of the classical music unit and presenter of Radio Ulster's Sounds Sacred programme.

Most people would associate him with the BBC and his programmes there. Nevertheless, on this occasion he has stepped outside Broadcasting House to organise a night of incredible music, technical expertise and stars from far and wide coming together under the banner ‘At Home For Heroes'.

“This is something special to say thank you to the NHS and frontline workers for their amazing contribution to our society – I am in awe of them,” he said.

:: Quick thinking

The idea came to Richard only six weeks ago and after thinking it over for a day or so it was all systems go. He contacted Fionnuala Jay-O'Boyle, vice-chair of Northern Ireland Opera, described by Richard as an enabler – and so she proved to be.

“She immediately said we must make this happen," he said.

"We were delighted to become involved as a sponsor and offering backing such was the importance of what Richard was doing,” Fionnuala told me. “As musicians, we understand collaboration and working as a team just as the men and women on the front line of this pandemic are doing. It is a joy to be part of the gala evening which will show off our classical stars to audiences at home and around the world.”

So Northern Ireland Opera came on board and it flowed from there. Apart from being a concert with a cast list to be envied, technical wizardry had to be applied, as Richard explained.

“Sir James Galway and his wife Lady Jeanne agreed and this meant recording them in their music room at home in Switzerland, using mobile phones. They sent their greetings and then played three pieces. These recordings then went to Dublin where the much-respected pianist Dearbhla Brosnan added her accompaniment. Barry Douglas recorded his contributions in much the same way but when it comes to The Priests the technology comes into its own.”

There are four artists involved here, each one laying down their individual track on mobile phones from their homes. First of all pianist Ruth McGinley, who is also performing solo numbers, played the accompaniment for the three singers. Once she had recorded her element of the jigsaw, she sent it to priest number one who added his voice. He then forwarded this on to priest number two and, once he had superimposed his part, it was off to priest number three who completed the finished piece.

Intricate programming involving artists who readily agreed to join in this completely new method of building a concert gala.

Richard even persuaded the new chief conductor of the Ulster Orchestra, Daniele Rustioni, to come down from his podium to play piano accompaniment for his wife, world class violinist Francesca Dego.

Tanya Houghton plays the harp, the Ulster Orchestra string quartet plays and, finally, Northern Ireland Opera perform a medley – all on mobile phones.

Although getting the guests together and masterminding the coordination between them all had been a challenge, as far as Richard was concerned, the next step was make or break – the editing.

For this he went to a video production company in Derry, By Elephant. Paul Brown explained that the project has been an incredible experience for them.

“Working with musicians remotely across the globe, using phone footage and audio to pull together a concert production has been challenging but incredibly rewarding as we see it come together. It's incredible how connected we can remain, even when we have to stay apart. Working with such fantastic musicians helps also!”

:: Technical wizardry

Certainly to someone like me who was involved in my first ever Zoom conference last week, it's something of a technical miracle and I can't wait to see the finished product tonight.

The fact that the artists involved in Richard's extravaganza have been so willing to take part completely free of any charge, to perform and send their personal good wishes, is a compliment to both this creative producer and to the people it's for – brave frontline workers wherever they are.

Lest you think this gala concert will be highbrow classical offerings, that is not so; the programme is a seamless mix from Rodgers and Hammerstein to John Rutter and from Mozart to the Londonderry Air.

And drawing the evening's entertainment together in style is patron of Northern Ireland Opera Sean Rafferty who will be inviting everyone to enjoy a unique experience. But, more than anyone else ,this is for the men and women who work within the NHS and their colleagues during this terrible and frightening time.

Richard's wish is simple: “I hope this event will attract good interest and give everyone a nice opportunity to sit down and enjoy a mix of music played from the heart.”

Like Richard, we are all in awe of the men and women caring for the sick and hopefully they will take pleasure in this evening of music and craic put together through hard work and mobile phone transmission.

Join Sean Rafferty as he introduces the gala evening At Home For Heroes which runs for one hour and 15 minutes and will be on YouTube tonight at 8pm.