Music Matters Folgen

Image credit: The Japan Art AssociationAs the celebrated violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter prepares for the premiere of John Williams’s new violin concerto, she talks to Tom Service about making music in and out of the pandemic. She reflects on how her relationship to music has changed over the past 18 months and the need for urgent change when it comes to supporting music and culture in German and beyond.A New Topography of Love Part II is an animated video-game opera experience currently being developed by writer and director John McIlduff and composer Brian Irvine at Dumbworld productions, in collaboration with artists and game developers. Tom catches up with Brian Irvine and Vicky Potts from Whitepot Studios to find out how they plan to put opera inside arcade cabinets.The Berlin-based Belarusian conductor Vitali Alekseenok travelled back to Belarus last August to join protests against the latest election of Alexander Lukashenko as the country’s leader – a result which has not been accepted by the EU or the UK. Vitali took part in daily musical protests on the streets of Minsk and has written a book about his experiences. He knows he can’t now go back to Belarus for fear of being arrested - something that’s already happened to many of his musician friends there. He talks to Tom about his hopes and fears for Belarus and the musicians and artists who speak out.American musician Jessie Montgomery is one of the most distinctive and communicative voices in the US, as a player and a creator. She writes chamber works and orchestral music, as well as improvising with double bassist Eleonore Oppenheim in her duo Big Dog, Little Dog. As she begins her new role as Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Mead Composer-in-Residence, she talks about her work and a newfound urgency to engage, connect and reflect through her music.And from the Music Matters archives, interviews with two composers whom the world has lost in recent days – Frederic Rzewski and Louis Andriessen.

Linton Stephens is joined by the soprano Nadine Benjamin ahead of a performance of her autobiographical opera BEAM, part of the Summer at Snape season. She reflects on how music has the power to heal and why she finds strength in her voice.The music psychologist Natasha Hendry talks to Linton about her research into race and racism in music education and the music industry. As Radio 3 celebrates the London Festival of Architecture, Music Matters visits Bold Tendencies at its unique home in Peckham’s former multi-storey car park, and speaks to the organisation’s founder Hannah Barry, the acoustician Dave Parsons, the pianist Samson Tsoy and producer Fraser Smith, to learn how the building’s fabric impacts sound quality and informs artistry.And, Linton also hears from soprano Stephanie Corley, director James Brining, and conductor James Holmes, about a new collaborative production of A Little Night Music by both Opera North and the Leeds Playhouse, and learns how Sondheim’s portrayal of human relationships speaks to audiences today.

Kate Molleson celebrates Coventry as UK City of Culture 2021, exploring the musical life there, its rich musical history, and talking about what the future holds for Coventrians. She begins at the heart of Coventry in the ruins of the old cathedral, which was destroyed the November night in 1940 when the German Luftwaffe flattened the city centre. It is poignantly connected to the new cathedral by Basil Spence. With its consecration began a distinctive new choral tradition, particularly under music director David Lepine. Kate talks to one of the first choristers, David Sleath, who sang at the premiere of Britten's War Requiem, conductor Paul Daniel who joined the choir in the mid-60s, and organist Rachel Mahon who is the current music director.Composer Dan Jones talks to Kate about his new work, Coventry Moves Together, which was commissioned by Coventry UK City of Culture for their inaugural day of events on 5th June, and which takes the ideas of the city's most pioneering composer, Delia Derbyshire. Kate talks to Chenine Bhathena, the Creative Director of Coventry UK City of Culture about the promises that she is making to the people of the city.Birmingham-born conductor, and recently appointed Music Director of Birmingham Opera, Alpesh Chauhan, has made Coventry his home over the last few years and talks to Kate about his impressions of the city and its cultural significance.Arguably Coventry's biggest musical export is 2-Tone Music, and Kate follows the 2-Tone Trail with Neville Staples of The Specials and visits the Coventry Music Museum set up by Pete Chambers, who has devoted his life to finding out about Coventry's music history from Roman Times to the now. Central to his museum is his homage to The Specials' chart-topping song, Ghost Town.