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BBC Radio 3 to begin broadcasting new live performances next month
By Andy Malt | Published on Tuesday 12 May 2020
BBC Radio 3 has announced plans to begin broadcasting new venue-based live performances again. Starting in June, the radio station will air daily performances by a variety of solo musicians and duos. Each will play with no audience at West London’s Wigmore Hall.
Musicians already signed up to perform include Imogen Cooper, Lucy Crowe, Iestyn Davies, Benjamin Grosvenor, Angela Hewitt, Paul Lewis, Mark Padmore, Ailish Tynan, Mitsuko Uchida, and Roderick Williams. An initial run of 20 performances is planned, starting on 1 Jun.
“Live music is in the DNA of Radio 3 and so its loss is felt by all, not just at home but also in the music industry”, says Radio 3 Controller Alan Davey. “It is therefore a great joy to restore this service to the nation whilst also ensuring maximum health and safety. My thanks to Wigmore Hall for once again collaborating with us on the venture and also to the performers for helping us to bring live classical music back into the nation’s homes during quarantine”.
Wigmore Hall’s John Gilhooly adds: “The health and safety of our staff and the musicians will always be Wigmore Hall’s foremost concern. I am very grateful to BBC Radio 3 and every musician taking part in these concerts, under the safest possible conditions. Through this series we bring great live music from our acclaimed acoustic to every corner of the nation and overseas”.
In addition to the performers, the only other people in the venue will be a BBC Radio 3 producer and sound engineer, and one member of Wigmore Hall staff. All will remain at least two metres away from each other at all times.
The first performance will be a piano recital by Stephen Hough on 1 Jun.
