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Orchestra trips the Light Fantastic
Scarborough’s
nationally acclaimed Spa Orchestra is to feature in a BBC Radio 3
festival of light music.
Light Fantastic, which runs from 24 to 27
June, is a participatory festival of light music with a central
focus around British light orchestral music.
The highlight of the festival is a weekend
of events around the country and broadcasts on BBC Radio 3 which
unites the BBC with its public in a celebration of this appealing
genre of British music.
The Spa Orchestra, which has delighted
audiences for almost a century, will feature as part of the weekend
celebration.
Jeremy Hartill, Executive Manager of the
Spa, said: “We are very excited that The Spa Orchestra has been
featured in the Light Fantastic festival. The Orchestra is a
fundamental part of the Spa entertainments programme for nearly 100
years. We hope this exposure will help increase the summer audience
and help us to promote the orchestra nationally.”
Light music, with its evocation of the
British landscape, seaside holidays and tea dances is an important
part of our national musical history and culture and will be
performed across the country in June through a series of
specially-staged live concerts featuring the BBC Performing
Groups.
There are also participatory events the
public can get involved with and Radio 3’s on-air coverage, leading
up to a weekend of concerts and events curated by Paul Morley at
Royal Festival and Queen Elizabeth Halls and across the site at
Southbank Centre.
Repertoire throughout the Light Fantastic
festival will shine a light on major orchestral works by the
principal composers of the genre including Eric Coates, Haydn Wood,
Robert Farnon, Ernest Tomlinson, Ronald Binge and Samuel
Coleridge-Taylor.
Roger Wright, BBC Radio 3 controller and
BBC Proms director said: “British Light Music is a much-loved type
of music and this festival is a great opportunity to celebrate and
give a uniquely nostalgic feel to our broadcasting summer. It’s
also harnessing the unique resource of the BBC Performing Groups
across the UK.”
For more information about the festival, go
to www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/classical/lightfantastic/