Can you think of any of your friends or family who don’t like music? It’s rare to find someone for whom music doesn’t play a role in their life - and of course music is often more powerful when shared with those around us. As BBC Music Day enters its second year, we are hoping BBC Music will once again help unite communities and generations through our shared love of music.
BBC Music launched in 2014 with an ambitious take on the Beach Boys’ timeless single God Only Knows. The song and accompanying film featured world-famous artists across genres and it made headlines globally. Since then, BBC Music has delivered the BAFTA nominated Adele at the BBC, the BBC Music Awards, The Mercury Prize and Ten Pieces.
The premise of bringing people together through music is a vision shared by BBC Music Day. If you missed last year’s inaugural day, have a look at this short film that sums it all up.
On Friday June 3 from 6am until midnight, over 200 events will unfold around the UK and Channel Islands for BBC Music Day, many of them based on the theme of collaboration. Thousands of people will take part and we will all be able to watch and hear many of them across the BBC on television, radio and online.
BBC Music Day will shine a spotlight on both grass roots and community music as well as some more familiar names. All manner of community choirs, children’s groups, orchestras and amateur groups will take their place next to our BBC Music Day Ambassadors – including Nile Rodgers, Duran Duran, Labrinth, Will Young, Laura Mvula, Lianne La Havas and Travis. Once again we will unveil our BBC Music Day Unsung Heroes, five individuals around the UK who have made a profound contribution to their communities through music. You can see last year’s amazing winners here.
There really is something for everyone on 3 June and only the BBC could facilitate the country coming together in this way. Working backwards from our finale, The One Show and BBC Radio 2 will be stationed at Cornwall’s Eden Project. Duran Duran will headline a spectacular concert, staged in front of the stunning surroundings of Eden’s iconic Biomes.
The impressive stage at the Eden Project
Laura Mvula will also perform and a man who knows a thing or two about music - Nile Rodgers - makes a special appearance. For over five decades, his songs have made an incalculable amount of people happy and it is our absolute honour and pleasure to have him as our guest.
But there is so much more on offer before we reach Eden. You can wake up with the Royal Marines Band in Devon via BBC Radio 3’s Breakfast Show. Or celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Sex Pistols’ legendary show at Manchester Free Trade Hall with BBC Radio 6 Music. There’s even CBBC’s Shaun the Sheep leading a ‘vegetable orchestra’ following a children’s vegetable instrument workshops.
BBC Local Radio is marking the occasion with 'Take it to the Bridge', a set of magical musical collaborations across 45 iconic UK bridges. The much-loved band Travis will perform with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra for a fabulous night of music at the Barrowland venue in Glasgow. BBC Northern Ireland is planning a unique evening of musical celebrations in the setting of the Stormont Parliament Buildings.
And at 7pm, if you open your windows you may hear bells from over 100 church towers across the UK, ringing out simultaneously for BBC Music Day throughout our towns, cities and villages. Find out what’s happening for BBC Music Day across the UK here. I hope you will be able to take some part in the day, or at least find something you like to watch, or listen to. It is all for the love of music.
James Stirling is Editor, BBC Music
- Find out more about BBC Music Day
- Follow @bbcmusic on Twitter
