West Yorkshire Anthem To Be Played By BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
The Yorkshire public have been invited to nominate the tune that best symbolises West Yorkshire. Acts like the Kaiser Chiefs could be covered by up to 80 classically trained musicians from the BBC Philharmonic to perform the song.
And you can call, text, email or tweet your nomination for the “anthem of West Yorkshire ” from Friday 12th June.
The winning track will be picked by BBC Radio Leeds breakfast presenter Richard Stead. And from there it’ll be sent to the 80-piece BBC Philharmonic. They will have just two weeks to write, rehearse and perform the tune. With current lockdown rules in place, each musician will record their part from their own home.
“Really excited”
It means music from artists like Tasmin Archer, Chumbawamba, The Cribs or Kiki Dee could be reimagined into an impressive piece of music which will become part of the local music scene.
Presenter Richard Stead said: “I’m really excited to see the nominations people come up with. Our area has produced some phenomenal musicians, from the likes of Robert Palmer and Corrine Bailey Rae to Kaiser Chiefs. Let’s find out once and for all: what is the anthem of West Yorkshire?”
The chosen tune will be played on the Breakfast Show. And it’ll be added to the ‘Great Northern Playlist’, made up of tracks from Northern BBC Radio stations.
All of the songs will be played by the BBC Philharmonic, which has been performing for nearly a century.
Simon Webb, director of the BBC Philharmonic, said: “We have honed our skills creating lockdown tracks like this for 5Live, 6Music, Radio 3 and Radio 4 but have never attempted something on this scale before. To take ten popular songs, turn them into pieces that dozens of classically trained musicians can play – all while those musicians are stuck in their own homes – is going to be a real challenge.
“But the BBC Philharmonic is no stranger to creative challenges and we can’t wait to get stuck in. For nearly a century we have been playing for audiences across the North – and we’re really pleased to be finding new and exciting ways to serve those same communities during the pandemic.”
“World-renowned musical heritage”
Nominations run until midday Thursday (June 18). The finished song will be played two weeks later on the Breakfast Show.
Rozina Breen, head of BBC North, said: “The Philharmonic is a northern institution and to hear it connect directly with our diverse communities across the North will be very special.
“The North has produced some of the world’s best bands, musicians and songwriters. And our aim is to bring communities in crisis together creatively, through music, with a celebration of our shared and world-renowned musical heritage.”
To submit your nomination:
Call: 0800 389 33 33
Text: 81333 start the message with the word “Leeds”
Email: radioleeds@bbc.co.uk
Tweet: @BBCLeeds using #GreatNorthernPlaylist
