During his formative years Patrick was exposed to the delights of such people as
Peter Pears, John Ogden and Owen Brannigan as well as concert performances from members
of the D’Oyly Carte Company. He remembers seeing Norman del Mar conducting, which
might have sown the seeds of his interest in conducting. Later, he played trumpet
with a youth orchestra in Suffolk and recalls a Fanfare written for the orchestra
and conducted by Imogen Holst – the daughter and only child of composer, Gustav Holst.
There was always live music at home and Patrick was encouraged to have singing lessons,
which led to taking part in local Gilbert & Sullivan productions; on one occasion
he sang in Dvorak’s ‘Requiem’ at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in the presence of Princess
Caroline of Monaco. He progressed from singing to playing in a brass band and later
took piano lessons and started saxophone. This latter skill led to his joining the
Sillars Light Orchestra’s saxophone section where he might have expected to remain;
that is, until he was given the opportunity to put his life-long enthusiasm for conducting
into practice.
Patrick Meehan was appointed Musical Director and Conductor of the Sillars Light
Orchestra in January 2008.
Patrick Meehan’s ambition was always to conduct. In his words it was “a long-held
interest in ‘realising’ music through conducting and ‘finding’ music through listening
and playing”, and he believes nothing compares with live music.