Who is Dave Arch? Strictly and Royal Variety Performance conductor supporting BGT 2024 winner Sydnie Christmas

DAVID "Dave" Arch is the conductor and pianist on the beloved BBC show Strictly Come Dancing. 

The musician will be playing alongside the winner of Britain's Got Talent 2024, Sydnie Christmas, when she appears at the Royal Variety Performance.

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Musical prodigy

Dave was born on October 25, 1962, in Henley-on-Thames.

He is the son of composer and MBE recipient Gwyn Arch, who raised Dave in Sonning Common.

Dave showed a talent for music at a young age and went on to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

The superstar musician was also a member of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra.

Strictly Star

Dave is known for being the Musical Director and arranger for Strictly Come Dancing.

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He also appears on-screen as the conductor of the show's orchestra.

The composer is joined by a team of all-star singers including Tommy Blaize, Andrea Grant, Lance Ellington and Hayley Sanderson.

Incredible career

Outside of Strictly, Dave released his own album in 2016 entitled Coming Home.

The 80-track collection featured original compositions featuring 80 of the UK's finest musicians.

Dave has also contributed to the music in The Imitation Game, The Grand Budapest Hotel and five Harry Potter films.

He has been known to brush shoulders with celebrities too and has recorded tracks with Tina Turner, Elton John and Paul McCartney.

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The Royal Variety Performance

Dave is the Musical Director for the annual Royal Variety Performance show.

He will be supporting Sydnie Christmas when she performs at the 2024 RVP show.

Sydnie appeared on the 2024 series of Britain's Got Talent and sang a stunning rendition of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow".

The performance earned her Amanda Holden's gold buzzer and the fan-favourite went on to win the competition.

It is a yearly tradition that the winner of BGT gets to perform for His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen at the RVP show.

The show will be held on November 22, 2024, but fans without tickets will have to wait until December to watch it on TV.