大象传媒

Martin Handley presents the opening programme of Radio 3's Play to the Nation season, celebrating the rich world of amateur music-making in a series of special recordings for Radio 3.

大象传媒 Radio 3 has teamed up with Making Music to find four of the best amateur orchestras in the UK for broadcast tonight as part of Play to the Nation. Tonight's line-up includes four amateur orchestras specially recorded by Radio 3: the Dundee Symphony Orchestra playing Beethoven, the Kensington Chamber Orchestra playing Bruch, the Slaithwaite Philharmonic with music from their Summer Proms, and Birmingham Symphonic Winds with Rodrigo.

Play to the Nation aims to show off the vibrant, diverse and often excellent activity of amateur orchestras around the UK. No other radio station in the UK could make this possible. Building on the ambitious Listen Up! festivals (2004 and 2006), which also celebrated the enormous part amateur orchestras play in British cultural life, amateur orchestras have been invited to send in recordings of their performances.

Throughout October, following the main evening concert from the UK鈥檚 top professional orchestras, Performance on 3 will continue to feature some of the hundreds of amateur orchestras regularly performing throughout the UK.

There will also be the chance to hear highlights of five Pianothons which take place in Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow, London and Manchester - eight-hour-long piano marathons which aim to bring together amateur pianists of all ages and abilities during October.

WOOLFENDEN: Bohemian Dances
Birmingham Symphonic Winds
Guy Woolfenden (conductor)

BRUCH: Double Concerto
Naoko Miyamoto (violin)
Mark Braithwaite (viola)
Kensington Chamber Orchestra
Nicholas Collon (conductor)

COATES: Knightsbridge March
Slaithwaite Philharmonic Orchestra
John Anderson (conductor)

RODRIGO: Fantasia para un gentilhombre
Craig Ogden (guitar)
Birmingham Symphonic Winds
Keith Allen (conductor)

WINTERS: The Serious Side of Madness
Kensington Chamber Orchestra
Nicholas Collon (conductor)

BARBER: Violin Concerto
Emily Steinitz (violin)
Slaithwaite Philharmonic Orchestra
John Anderson (conductor)

BEETHOVEN: Symphony no. 1
Dundee Symphony Orchestra
Robert Dick (conductor)

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