BBC Music Day - A Nationwide Celebration of Music on Friday 5 June 2015

This unique day will feature live music events and performances involving both well-known musicians and local communities across the UK and the BBC’s Performing Groups, and will be broadcast on BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 3, BBC 6 Music, Asian Network, BBC Local Radio, at bbc.co.uk/musicday, plus BBC One’s The One Show will be broadcasting live from the Music Day event in Glasgow. There will also be an official World Record attempt between Wales and Patagonia, which will be simulcast on BBC Radio Cymru, BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio Wales.

The dawn to dusk day of celebration involves musical events in more than ten UK towns and cities, with a number of star names acting as BBC Music Day Ambassadors: these include singers Tom Jones, Lulu, Ricky Wilson, Ricky Ross, Rae Morris and George Ezra; producer Mark Ronson, beatboxer Shlomo, Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor, Only Men Aloud’s Tim Rhys Evans, and conductor Charles Hazlewood. The Ambassadors will be championing BBC Music Day. Some will be doing this through live performances on the day, others will be taking part in radio and television programmes, others will be supporting Music Day on social media and on the website.

As part of the event, the BBC is launching BBC Music Day’s Unsung Heroes, a UK-wide search for individuals who have made or are continuing to make a big contribution to music in their community. People around the country are being asked to nominate their local music champion – someone who has had a significant impact on music in their area and who stands out through their dedication to music, for example by supporting young musicians or setting up a community choir. From all the nominations, a BBC panel will compile a shortlist from which they will select five winners who will receive a BBC Music VIP Pass, giving them and their friends tickets to the BBC Music event of their choice, from the BBC Proms to the BBC Music Awards to the Radio 2 Folk Awards and beyond. The opportunity to nominate opens today and closes on Friday 24 April. Full details are at bbc.co.uk/musicday

Bob Shennan, Controller Radio 2, 6 Music, Asian Network and Director, BBC Music says: “BBC Music Day is a unique opportunity for people to celebrate music and musical talent, whether attending one of the many events taking place or tuning in at home. Honouring music’s Unsung Heroes is a key part of the initiative as there are so many people around the country who do great work in their communities and it’s time for their dedication and achievements to be recognised.”

BBC Music Day kicks off with ‘Hadrian’s Wall of Sound’ – a unique, visually spectacular musical relay from Bowness on Solway to Wallsend. Hundreds of musicians from diverse communities along the wall will journey by bicycle, horse, open top vintage bus, motorbike and unicycle, passing a baton from performer to performer. The music will start at daybreak in West Cumbria and finish in North Tyneside – 73 miles and 14 hours later. This ambitious feat will be reflected live on BBC Radio 3 - led by the BBC Singers - and on BBC local radio, BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC Look North (North East and Cumbria).

The day culminates in a fantastic BBC Music Night concert from Glasgow’s City Halls where a range of fantastic artists from different genres will perform with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. The event will be hosted by Radio 2’s Ken Bruce and BBC Radio 3’s Katie Derham and simulcast live on BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 3 and BBC Red Button, with BBC Asian Network airing Jaz Dhami’s performance. The Glasgow event will be the focal point of a five day Festival of Music at BBC Scotland’s HQ in Pacific Quay.

Among the towns and cities who will host BBC Music Day events are Belfast, Bradford, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Liverpool and Plymouth. Events that take place on Friday 5 June range from a live broadcast of BBC Radio 3’s In Tune in Bradford to coincide with the city’s World Curry Festival, to a special performance of Craig Charles’ BBC Radio 6 Music’s Funk and Soul show in Liverpool. Other highlights are a live concert in the Crumlin Road Gaol and an attempt to break a Guinness World Records title with a link-up facilitated by BBC Radio Cymru between singers in Cardiff and Patagonia and accompanied by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. This World Record attempt will also be simulcast on BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio 3. BBC Music Day will also feature an inter-generational, special educational needs and disability concert with members of Charles Hazlewood’s British Paraorchestra in Bristol.

BBC Music Day Ambassador Charles Hazlewood says: "Music is the most universal language we have, way more so than any dialect or tongue, and every person on the planet engages with music on a daily basis. The music industry in the UK is a world leader. It's highly appropriate then, that the BBC should devote a whole day to celebrating these absurdly musical isles."

Ricky Wilson, Kaiser Chiefs’ lead singer and coach on BBC One’s The Voice said: “Some of us catalogue our life through music… and we all have a song we love and most of us have a song we love to hate! I'm supporting BBC Music Day because love it or loathe it - music affects us all.”

Singer Lulu, says: “BBC Music Day is important because it’s a chance for us all to get together – young and old, from every community across the UK - to celebrate what music means to us. Only the BBC could do this. I’m proud to be a BBC Music Day Ambassador.”

Singer-songwriter Rae Morris, says: “I'm truly honoured to be an ambassador for BBC Music Day. The BBC has played a huge part in my journey so far. Without BBC Introducing and support from Radio 1, 2 and 6 Music, I definitely wouldn't be in the very fortunate position I am in today. This feels like a great opportunity for me to thank the BBC for their support so far and also to celebrate their great work; providing us all with constant access to the things we love and opening doors to endless pathways of new musical knowledge!”

Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor says: “Music spans the different languages and continents, generations and communities around the globe so I’m delighted to be supporting BBC Music Day.”

One Direction says: “On BBC Music Day our tour will see us playing in Cardiff’s Millenium Stadium. We hope wherever you are you have as much fun as we will! Music brought us together, and every day we love what we do. Get involved, play, sing and have a good time.”

Brit Award-winning singer George Ezra says: “The BBC have been there right from the start for me and everything that's happened to me over the past two years all started at BBC Introducing, so thanks to the BBC and wishing them all the very best for BBC Music Day!”

Tenor Noah Stewart says: “Music is the number one international language in the world that connects and binds us. It provides a steady heartbeat of joy, inspiration and healing. Let us celebrate together the power and beauty of music.”

Further information about where people can see, hear and get involved in BBC Music Day as follows:

BBC One
The One Show will be coming live from Glasgow’s Pacific Quay on Friday 5 June.

BBC Radio 2
Radio 2 will be celebrating BBC Music Day through the week – from Monday to Friday Steve Wright (2-5pm) will be announcing the five winners of the Unsung Heroes nominations, and there will be further coverage on Jeremy Vine and other Radio 2 shows building up to Music Day itself.

On the Friday 5 June, Ken Bruce (9.30-12pm) will be broadcasting his show live from BBC Scotland’s HQ at Pacific Quay. The day culminates with a special Friday Night is BBC Music Night concert (8-10pm) live from Glasgow’s City Halls. This special concert with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra will celebrate music across a wide spectrum of genres. From classical music to pop, stars taking to the stage include jazz-pop singer and songwriter Jamie Cullum, opera tenor Noah Stewart, the classic pop rock band Deacon Blue, violinist Jack Liebeck, harpist Catrin Finch, Bhangra artist Jaz Dhami and BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2015, Claire Hastings. Conducted by Richard Balcombe and presented by Katie Derham and Ken Bruce, the concert will be simulcast live on Radio 3, Radio 2, Radio Scotland and BBC Red Button, with the Asian Network broadcasting the Jaz Dhami performance. Tickets will be on sale from Friday 17 April - more information at bbc.co.uk/musicday

BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3’s Breakfast (6.30-9am) kicks off BBC Music Day on Friday 5 June live from Hadrian’s Wall in Cumbria. Presenter Petroc Trelawny will be at Birdoswald Roman Fort, along one of the most picturesque stretches of this World Heritage Site, joined by the BBC Singers performing music with local connections as part of BBC Music Day’s ambitious Hadrian’s Wall of Sound - a unique relay of music along the length of the wall, from Carlisle to North Tyneside, involving hundreds of performers from across the North of England.

The BBC Singers continue to perform live from Cumbria for Essential Classics (9am-12pm) presented by Rob Cowan and Sarah Walker, which will also include the broadcast of a specially-recorded concert by the BBC Symphony Orchestra at London’s Maida Vale Studios. The concert will feature works by Bax, Ravel, John Adams and Sibelius performed by amateur musicians and students on the BBC SO/RCM Pathways Scheme, sitting side-by-side in the orchestra, and the BBC SO Family Orchestra & Chorus will create a new piece. BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist Esther Yoo will join the BBC SO to perform the finale of Beethoven’s Violin Concerto.

Throughout the week running up to BBC Music Day, Composer Of The Week (12-1pm), will explore the life and work of Hungarian composer and creator of the Kodály Method, Zoltán Kodály. In the final edition of the series, Donald Macleod considers Kodály’s unique, lasting, and vital contribution to music education.

BBC Music Day continues into the afternoon with a Lunchtime Concert (1-2pm) presented by Clemency Burton-Hill live from Snape Maltings Concert Hall in Suffolk featuring two Radio 3 New Generation Artists - Benjamin Appl (baritone) and Pavel Kolesnikov (piano) - alongside Aldeburgh Young Musicians, members of the Britten-Pears Young Artist programme and the choir of St James Middle School. Afternoon on 3 (2-4.30pm), presented by Ian Skelly and Verity Sharp, goes live to Grange Park in Hampshire where members of the BBC Concert Orchestra will be joined by 90 children from Pimlico Opera's Primary Robins, an initiative which aims to enrich the lives of schoolchildren who have little exposure to music. Conducted by Michael Collins, the afternoon of music-making will feature music from Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music and Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll as well as a special appearance from opera star Bryn Terfel.

For the last half hour of the programme, Radio 3 simulcasts with BBC Radio Wales to broadcast BBC Radio Cymru’s unique live link-up between Cardiff and Patagonia, bridging 7000 miles between the two countries. The link-up will be between singers in Cardiff and Patagonia and accompanied by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. This is a record-breaking attempt - certified by Guinness World Records - to achieve the greatest distance between people singing a duet and marks the 150th anniversary of the Welsh Colony in Patagonia. Full details of this technically and logistically-complex feat will be revealed closer to the date.

From South America to Yorkshire, Radio 3 is then at Bradford’s World Curry Festival for a special live broadcast of In Tune (4.30-6.30pm) presented by Suzy Klein. Collaborating in the heart of the city, musicians from the BBC Philharmonic and members of the South Asian arts organisation Kala Sangam in Bradford perform a brand new work composed especially for Music Day.

In the evening, Sean Rafferty is at former prison Crumlin Road Gaol in Belfast for a live show featuring the Ulster Orchestra (6.30-7.15pm). After this, Sara Mohr-Pietsch is live from London’s BBC Maida Vale Studios, presenting a concert with the BBC Symphony Chorus, Berkshire Young Voices and the Voyage Community Choir who perform music by John Rutter, Richard Rodney Bennett and the world premiere of Bob Chilcott’s Setting Sail, part of his new work, The Voyage, commissioned by Age UK Oxfordshire which will be premiered in full in 2016. Conducted by Stephen Jackson and Elizabeth Croft (7.15-8pm).
To round off the day of music-making, Radio 3, Radio 2, Radio Scotland and BBC Red Button simulcast a special BBC Music Night concert with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and an incredible range of artists live from Glasgow City Halls (8-10pm) - see BBC Radio 2 entry above for more details.

BBC Radio 6 Music
Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie will be getting behind Music Day in their show. Mark will be in their Salford studio crossing live to Stuart who will be doing an outside broadcast following the musical relay at Hadrian’s Wall of Sound and bringing live music to listeners from this incredible location.
And that evening, Craig Charles’ brings his Funk and Soul show to an audience at Liverpool’s waterfront as part of the International Mersey River Festival, with other BBC presenters introducing further acts on the night’s line up – see English Regions entry below for more details.

BBC Asian Network
For Music Day the BBC Asian Network will be showcasing the very best of its music offering. British Asian singer-songwriter, Arjun, launches the day with an acoustic performance in the Live Lounge on the Tommy Sandhu Breakfast Show. This is followed by Nihal’s show where the day’s chat will focus on the subject of connecting communities and generations through music. At 1pm, Noreen Khan brings a fantastically rich musical offering showcasing the best of the Asian Network’s recorded concerts and sessions featuring: Qawwali and Bollywood playback singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan with band, recorded at Maida Vale; Pakistani singers Shazia Manzoor and QB accompanied by the BBC Philharmonic in Bradford; Punjabi Sufi singer Satinder Sartaaj, recorded at Maida Vale; Indian singer Sona Mahapatra accompanied by the BBC Philharmonic, performing music by one of India's greatest film composers, RD Burman; Celtic Connections, celebrating ‘The Music of AR Rahman’ alongside the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.

From 5.30pm Bobby Friction’s show features award-winning Bhangra star Jaz Dhami’s session, recorded on Thursday 4th June at the Festival at the Quay in Glasgow. Also in the show, Bobby crosses live to City Halls in Glasgow for the BBC Music Night concert performance by Jaz Dhami who will be performing a classic Bollywood song alongside the BBCdone Scottish Symphony Orchestra in a show which will be simulcast with Radio 2, Radio 3 and BBC Scotland – see Radio 2 entry above for full line up details. Yasser rounds off Music Day on Asian Network, showcasing the best new and unsigned British Asian music and talent.

England
BBC Music Day will also be celebrated the length and breadth of England with events in Bradford, Bristol, Liverpool and Plymouth, plus the unique musical relay along Hadrian’s Wall, one of Britain’s most beautiful locations. The BBC’s regional TV and radio teams will be capturing all the excitement of the day in each location and local BBC Introducing teams will be inviting their favourite unsigned artists to perform live.

Hadrian’s Wall will be the setting for the ambitious Hadrian’s Wall of Sound – a unique relay of music involving hundreds of performers from groups across the North. Musicians from diverse communities along the Wall will journey by bicycle, horse, open top vintage bus, motorbike and unicycle, passing a baton from performer to performer along the Wall. Produced by BBC Outreach and Corporate Responsibility and BBC North East & Cumbria, the music will start at daybreak in West Cumbria and finish at Wallsend in North Tyneside – 73 miles and 14 hours later.

BBC North and BBC Radio 6 Music’s mighty Craig Charles Funk And Soul Show will set Liverpool’s waterfront alight for Music Day as part of the International Mersey River Festival. Dave Monks from BBC Radio Merseyside, Janice Long from BBC Radio 2 and the creative team from Liverpool International Music Festival will be introducing the cream of the crop from the Liverpool music scene to help get the party started in the run up to Craig’s show.

In Bradford’s City Park, the crowds will be entertained to a free public concert when the region’s best classical groups, choirs and local brass maestros the Hammonds Saltaire Band will take the stage.
Bristol is to host a unique special educational needs and disability youth concert at Colston Hall. The children will play alongside youth choirs and members of The British Paraorchestra, conducted by Charles Hazlewood. Organised by Bristol Plays Music, the concert will feature nearly 200 young musicians from all over the South West.

Plymouth will see a musical extravaganza in the city piazza featuring Plymouth Youth Concert Band, the Co-operative Big Band and fresh new acts The Normals, Rockafella and The Vibes. BBC Radio Devon’s James Santer will host proceedings.

Scotland
Scotland will be part of the BBC Music Day celebrations with a five day Festival of Music centred around Pacific Quay in Glasgow. From jazz to traditional, emerging new talent to established acts, an eclectic array of music will be showcased, highlighting Scotland’s rich and varied musical landscape. And every Radio Scotland music programme will play its part in the celebrations including a special of Bryan Burnett’s Show as well as Travelling Folk, Jazz House and Another Country with Ricky Ross.

Events in Scotland kicks off on Wednesday 3rd June with the debut of BBC Radio Scotland’s new music live performance show, The Quay Sessions. On BBC Music Day, Friday 5th June, Radio 2’s Ken Bruce show comes live from BBC at the Quay with guests including Scotland’s own Midge Ure and singer-songwriter James Bay. Later that day, The One Show comes live from Pacific Quay. And a special BBC Music Night concert will be live from Glasgow’s City Halls featuring the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and music performances from the Pacific Quay outdoor stage. The concert will be simulcast live on live on BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio Scotland and the Asian Network – see Radio 2 entry for full details of the line-up.

On Saturday 6 June the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra will welcome music lovers, young and old to come forward and pick up an instrument then take part in a group performance alongside the SSO on the outdoor stage.

On Sunday 7 June BBC Introducing delivers a day of music profiling emerging and new talent. And across the five day festival, BBC Music at the Quay will play host to masterclasses, Q&As with musicians and special VIP ticket events.

Wales
One of the highlights of BBC Music Day in Wales will be a live link-up between Cardiff and Patagonia on BBC Radio Cymru, bridging 7000 miles in an attempt to set a world record certified by Guinness World Records for the greatest distance between people singing a duet. This momentous link-up, featuring the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, marks the 150th anniversary this year of the Welsh colony in Argentina. Full details of this technically and logistically-complex feat will be revealed closer to the date. This unique Radio Cymru broadcast will also be simulcast live on BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio 3. See BBC Radio 3 section above for more details.

Craig Glenday, Guinness World Records’ Editor in Chief, said: “We’re delighted to be partnered with BBC Music Day 2015 and to be adjudicating a ground-breaking record attempt for the Greatest Distance Between People Singing A Duet. This challenge was chosen to demonstrate how music has the power to bring people together, whether it’s in the local community or on a global scale.”
For BBC Radio Wales, Eleri Sion will be in the centre of Cardiff for a day which will feature live performances from some of the acts involved in Horizons - a partnership scheme between BBC Wales and the Arts Council of Wales to develop new music talent and give it a platform to reach wider audiences.

She’ll also be soaking up the atmosphere as One Direction and Manic Street Preachers fans converge on the Welsh capital, where these globally famous bands will both be performing that night.
Tim Rhys Evans will be the BBC Music Day ambassador for BBC Wales. Tim, from New Tredegar, started Only Men Aloud in January 2000, and they went on to win Last Choir Standing in 2008. Tim’s belief in singing as a life-enhancing activity underpins everything he does professionally and his idea to introduce singing to younger generations with Only Boys Aloud and Only Kids Aloud continues to thrive.

Northern Ireland
BBC Music Day in Northern Ireland is set to be a day of great music content across TV, Radio and Online. They will be celebrating talent - established and emerging - from a range of genres whilst also applauding the power of music to connect generations and communities. BBC NI and BBC Radio Ulster will be coming together to broadcast a superb evening of music from Belfast's former prison Crumlin Road Gaol. The former prison designed by Charles Lanyon in the 19th century will be used as the creative space to produce a musical melting pot of talent to perform live in front of an audience.

Earlier in the day BBC Radio Ulster/Foyle will host a series of live outside broadcasts. In the morning, Sean Coyle will be hosting his now famous 'front room' tea dance - expect music, song and dance for all ages. Hugo Duncan will then bring live music and inter-generational singing to a small primary school celebrating a special birthday in County Tyrone, and in the afternoon Gerry Kelly will present an outside broadcast celebrating home grown music talent from Northern Ireland. Also throughout the day, musicians and singers from the inaugural BBC Radio Ulster/Arts Council NI Young Musician Platform Awards will perform across a variety of BBC Radio Ulster shows.

Visit the BBC Music Day website at bbc.co.uk/musicday to nominate an Unsung Hero – the nominations are open from today until Friday 24 April. Also at the site, people can discover more about Music Day around the UK, find out more about the Music Day Ambassadors, and keep up-to-date with all the latest news about events and performers. On BBC Music Day the site will be following coverage of events across the country and afterwards there will be a special collection of videos from the day. Follow the action at @bbcmusic via #bbcmusicday on Twitter and at BBC Music on Facebook for more news about BBC Music Day during the next couple of months.

BBC Music Day is a further initiative by BBC Music - the corporation’s strongest commitment to music in 30 years - comprising an ambitious wave of new programmes, innovative partnerships and ground-breaking music initiatives. This is designed to strengthen the BBC’s place as a world leader in music broadcasting and commissioning, and enhance the UK’s position as a global trailblazer in music creation and performance. Led by Director Bob Shennan, BBC Music officially launched in October 2014 with the extraordinary reworking of God Only Knows. The commitment has included taking music to primetime BBC One with The One Show music festival and December’s star-studded BBC Music Awards. ‘Ten Pieces’ has already engaged nearly half the primary schools in the UK with classical music, and will culminate in two Ten Pieces Proms at the Royal Albert Hall in July.

bbc.co.uk/music is now the established home for both BBC Music Playlister, and an incredible range of visual music content is curated on BBC iPlayer. The most talented new artists are given a platform via BBC Music's 17 emerging talent schemes - from BBC Young Musician to the BBC Young Folk Award and BBC Introducing.

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Related BBC Links

• BBC Music Day