Music Matters

8 December 2007

Saturday 8 December 2007 12:15-13:00 (Radio 3)

Tom Service talks to violinist Itzhak Perlman about being a great advocate of classical music and the importance of music education.

There's an update on the Music Manifesto from composer and broadcaster Howard Goodall, and Tony Hall, Executive Director of the Royal Opera House, talks about the challenges of finding new audiences for opera and ballet.

Duration:

45 minutes

In this programme

Itzhak Perlman
American violinist Itzhak Perlman has established a formidable reputation as one of the world's great performers and musical celebrities. However, it's not just playing which drives Perlman. He's another of the great popular advocates for music-making. Whether it's appearing on Sesame Street, setting up his Perlman Music Program to train the next generation of Perlmans or giving masterclasses all over the world.


Sing Up!
The government has invested 10 million pounds a year for the next four years to get every child in England singing as part of the Music Manifesto agenda. The initiative is led by the Manifesto's Singing Ambassador, Howard Goodall, who is on a mission to enthuse children to get singing. Helping him in the "Sing Up" project are professional vocal groups like Ex Cathedra, the Birmingham-based choir, who are currently working on a variety of schemes. Tom went along to Arnhem Wharf Primary School in Tower Hamlets in London to experience one of their projects: Singing Playgrounds, in which the children themselves lead the school in song. Howard Goodall explains how representative this project is of what's going on elsewhere in the country.


Conducting Ballet

In the world of classical music conducting, ballet conductors are often regarded as second-class citizens, subservient to the whim of the choreographer and dancers. Yet, without the music there would be no dance. Tom talks to conductors Barry Wordsworth of the Royal Ballet, Martin West of San Francisco Ballet, and dancer turned choreographer and Artistic Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet David Bintley, to find out how important a role the ballet conductor has to play.

Tony Hall
The Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House, Tony Hall, has just announced a new deal with his orchestral players which will allow the ROH to start distributing their vast archive of opera recordings on DVD, in cinemas, and as downloads. All part of a drive to meet the changing requirements of the global market in understanding the need to make the art-form more accessible. Tom asks Tony Hall about the eternal debate on opera's elitism and finds that he is an unashamed advocate of the elite.

Music Matters

Episode and Playlist Information

• 5 Jan 08 Film and Music
• 15 Dec 07 Stockhausen
• 8 Dec 07 Itzhak Perlman
• 1 Dec 07 Scarlatti
• 17 Nov 07 Chick Corea
• 10 November 2007
• 3 Nov 07

Music Matters pages