WASO musicians Julie Brooke and Andrew Nicholson.
Camera IconWASO musicians Julie Brooke and Andrew Nicholson. Credit: Supplied/Andrew Ritchie d491584

WASO making magic with Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Tanya MacNaughtonEastern Reporter

IT is not too often that an orchestral musician will have to sign a waiver promising not to leak information to the media but English flautist Andrew Nicholson did.

Before Nicholson moved from London to Perth in 2010 for the role of principal flute at WASO, he was playing with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra when he received a call from London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) to play on the end credits of film Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

“It wasn’t unusual to step in and play with the other symphony orchestras in London, but I did have to pinch myself on this occasion,” Nicholson, of Perth, said.

PerthNow Digital Edition.
Your local paper, whenever you want it.

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

“As a child of the 1970s, I had grown up with the amazing music of John Williams, the LSO and Star Wars (another winning combination) and this had been a major influence as to why I wanted to play professionally.”

Brian McFadden thanks Boyzone on farewell tour

Boy George brings party to The Court Sunday session

Nicholson’s Harry Potter adventure continued when asked to play on the next two films Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince with the Chamber Orchestra of London.

“JK Rowling came to see us at Abbey Road for the start of recording proceedings and reminded us of the piece of paper we had just signed, promising not to leak any of what we were about to see to the press,” he said.

“We all had to sign the ‘Official Secrets Act’, a non–disclosure legality based on the fact that we would be the first audience to view the movie and legally could not impart to anyone, any detail.

“The ‘Official Secrets Act’ seemed like something straight out of the Hogwarts Witchcraft and Wizardry rulebook.

“How strange it was seeing them without music in the first instance. The amazing thing is that you really can’t think of these films without the theme tunes coming to mind at some time; think of other William’s scores such as E.T., Jaws or Indiana Jones and you will understand what I mean.”

Nicholson will revisit the Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire music in the orchestra’s WASO at the Movies concerts at Riverside Theatre on March 29 and 30.

The Hampshire-raised musician has played the flute since he was eight years old when his father brought home a selection of instruments while working in the Royal Army Medical Corps band.

“He was a very fine trumpet player and in charge of the instrument store,” Nicholson said.

“The flute was the only instrument I could get a sound out of.”

Kram joins Aussie rockers for ARC presents The Beatles’ Abbey Road Live

THE ESSENTIALS

What: WASO at the Movies – Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Where: Riverside Theatre

When: March 29 and 30

Tickets: www.waso.com.au