Music Matters Folgen

Tom Service speaks to Carlo Rizzi, Sir Mark Elder, and four leading conductors

Violinist Nicola Benedetti leads an international career as a violinist but she is also one of the world’s leading advocates for high quality music education and the transformational effect music can have on all young people. She talks to presenter Sara Mohr-Pietsch about her Foundation and her passion to inspire and enrich the lives of children across the UK. And in Beethoven’s 250th anniversary year, the Belcea Quartet marks a quarter century of its own by performing all of the composer’s string quartets at Wigmore Hall. Corina, Krzysztof, Axel and Antoine take time out from their rehearsals at London’s iconic venue, and speak to Sara backstage about the intensity of ensemble life and their lived experience as four individual musicians. Belinda Sykes is the founder of London-based ensemble Joglaresa and is living with terminal cancer. She talks to Sara about her determination to continue performing onstage and her love for making music with her fellow band members. And as Opera North’s new production of Kurt Weill’s Street Scene opens this weekend in Leeds, Sara visits the final rehearsals at the city’s Grand Theatre and meets the cast and creative team including leading Weill exponent, conductor James Holmes. He explains why the composer remains relevant to modern audiences.Producer Marie-Claire Doris

This week Kate talks a bracing walk along the sea shore in Blyth, Northumberland, and talks to wildlife sound recordist and composer Chris Watson about his life and work. Starting out as a musician at the centre of the Sheffield electronic revolution, making music with tape recorders with his band Cabaret Voltaire, influenced by the sounds of heavy industry, Chris eventually turned his back on the lure of pop-fame to pursue a career in TV and film, providing the sound tracks for nature programmes from around the world. Kate also discusses what makes a musical masterpiece with French pianist Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, and hears about his approach to reinterpreting the Beethoven piano concertos and French piano music. Scottish folk musician Alasdair Roberts reveals what influences him and why he feels his music is not quite in the mainstream. And, as the League of Nations celebrates its centenary, academic researchers Laura Tunbridge and Sarah Collins investigate a spin off international project using music and culture to bring peace and harmony to a post WW1 world.