Musical Instruments

Why do some instruments get all the tunes and the respect, while others are left at the bottom of the heap? The leader of the orchestra is always a violinist, and the guitarist usually gets to leap around at the front of the band. Meanwhile other instruments, like the drums, don’t get a lot of attention - except when it comes to being the butt of jokes.

Matt Allwright is on a mission to uncover the source of this terrible injustice, and find out whether his own beloved “low status” instrument – the pedal steel guitar – can ever find the spotlight.

Guests include:

• Stewart Copeland – The Police (drums)
• Dr Daria Kwiatkowska – composer, University of Birmingham (piano)
• Margaret Birley – Keeper of Musical Instruments, Horniman Museum
• Superorganism (assorted)
• Richard Farnes – conductor
• Stephen Bryant – leader, BBC Symphony Orchestra (violin)
• Tony Bedewi – BBC Symphony Orchestra (timpani)
• Tomoka Mukai – BBC Symphony Orchestra (flute)
• Steve Magee – BBC Symphony Orchestra (contrabassoon)