Naresh Sohal Society

The Naresh Sohal Society is currently not operational, following the death of one of its founder members, Dennis Day. Anyone who would be interested in taking up Dennis’s role in promoting Naresh’s work, should contact Naresh directly on naresh.sohal@gmail.com.

 

Tribute to Dennis Day

 

Dennis Day died on 3rd November 2007. Dennis founded the Naresh Sohal Society in July 1999 with the support of Vinay Relan. He was first alerted to my music by Eileen Creak, his friend and companion, who had heard a performance of Satyagraha at the Barbican.  He actively sought me out to be able to hear my work for himself, and having heard, became a passionate advocate. He established the society to promote greater awareness of my music, to undertake recordings and to increase the number of performances my works receive.

 

This was an ambitious remit, but Dennis set about it unwaveringly and persisted until poor health overtook him. In April 2000, the society celebrated my 60th birthday with a concert at St. John’s Smith Square, London. The programme consisted entirely of my work, and included Shades IV with Rivka Golani as the viola soloist, a remarkable performance of Chiaroscuro II by the ConTempo string quartet and a new piece, Concertino for violoncello and strings. For my 65th birthday the society organised a concert in Hitchin. Dennis also managed to achieve a performance of Songs of the Five Rivers with Hitchin Symphony Orchestra and Sally Silver as the soloist.

 

Dennis’s other passion was a commitment to furthering the careers of talented young musicians. Through them, he secured performances of many of my works including, at the last concert he organised, the second string quartet played by the Vardanyan string quartet.

 

The society produced a CD of my chamber work, and Dennis set about writing my biography, a labour of love which consumed many tapes, writing pads and CDs. He even travelled to India (hating every minute of it) to visit the places that had been important to me in my youth to be able to understand the forces that had influenced me.

 

Lastly, he made a nuisance of himself at the doors of the Great and the Good. He was unable to shift the great tectonic plates of the arts establishment, but his role as a gadfly, constantly niggling those who had other agendas will be forever remembered.

 

Dennis was a man of courage, commitment and devotion, determined to do what he thought was right in my cause, unafraid to enter the hallowed corridors of power and ready to seize an opportunity when he saw one. I shall be forever grateful for his friendship, admiration and loyalty. Rest in peace, Dennis, wherever you are. – Naresh Sohal