As Musical Director for Strictly Come Dancing, Dave Arch's music is always heard but he is rarely seen. Every week, the musician, composer and conductor, orchestrates his team and learns up to 14 songs every week.
There was the added pressure during week five for the special show celebrating the BBC's 100th birthday, with the celebrities and their professional partners taking to the dance floor to perform to well-known theme tunes from down the years.
The BBC show would be nothing without its in-house orchestra providing the incredible music for all the performances, which takes place in the iconic ballroom.
The band is fronted by Dave, who has been a part of the Strictly family since 2006, and he has appeared 'briefly' on every show since. In 2014, he and the rest of the production team received a special BAFTA Craft award.
He was also the Musical Director for ITV for the last eleven Royal Variety Performances, including it’s hundredth anniversary at the Albert Hall
The 59-year-old has earned a surprising amount since becoming music director on Strictly. According to the Daily Mail, in 2016 Dave Arch was worth £2.5 million with estimated yearly earnings of £300,000.
Dave began his career after studying at the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama, before going on to become a member of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra.
When he isn’t conducting the Dave Arch Band, he composes his own music, releasing an album called ‘Coming Home’ in 2016. A song from the album ‘Time to Remember’ featured at a Remembrance Day concert in Trafalgar Square.
As a talented keyboardist, he has also produced soundtracks for Oscar-winning films like The Shape of Water, 1917 and Gravity. He has also recorded with legendary artists Paul McCartney, Tina Turner and Elton John amongst others.
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