BBC Music has announced the full line-up of events for BBC Music Day 2016, which returns this year on Friday, June 3.
The UK-wide annual celebration will see BBC Music Day Ambassadors including Duran Duran and Travis perform live in unique setups, with more than 25 events taking place across BBC English Regions.
Duran Duran will be joined by Laura Mvula as they headline the finale of BBC Music Day at the Eden Project, with the Biomes providing the backdrop to an outdoor stage. The concert will go out live on BBC Radio 2, as part of a four-hour show presented by Sara Cox. BBC One’s The One Show will be coming live from the Eden Project in the build-up to the concert.
Mvula said: “I’m really looking forward to performing at the beautiful Eden Project with my band as part of BBC Music Day. BBC Music continues to find exciting and innovative ways to bring music to people all over the world, and it’s great to be a part of that, especially alongside Duran Duran!”
Travis will be performing live in collaboration with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra for a night of music at the Barrowland venue in Glasgow. There will be 1,000 free tickets available for fans to attend this event, which will be broadcast live on BBC Radio Scotland and streamed live on BBC iPlayer.
Lead singer Fran Healy said: "It's the coolest thing we've been asked to do, coming at a point, I feel, where we've hit full creative bloom as a group. And the fact the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra will join us on our turf at the Barrowlands - and not in their usual habitat - is something I feel the audience will love.“
The full list of Ambassadors also includes Will Young, Laura Mvula, Naughty Boy, Lianne La Havas, Lady Leshurr, Martin Carthy, Mark Simpson, Charles Hazelwood, Ruby Turner, Jennifer Pike and Bob Chilcott.
BBC Local Radio, in partnership with BBC Outreach, will be marking BBC Music Day 2016 with Take It To The Bridge. There will be musical collaborations on over 40 bridges around the UK – from large iconic bridges, such as the Tees Transporter Bridge in Middlesbrough, to smaller and quirkier bridges, like Bishop Bridge in Norwich and Tadcaster Bridge in Yorkshire. There will be performances from BBC Introducing acts, and local community groups and choirs. BBC Local Radio stations will be broadcasting live from the bridges throughout the day.
BBC Wales and BBC Bristol are joining forces at dawn for a unique celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first Severn Bridge, which connects South Wales to the West Country. Classical BRIT Award-winners Only Men Aloud will lead the performance of a new song - composed especially for BBC Music Day – by Grammy Award-winning songwriter Amy Wadge.
Also, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Chorus will perform a concert celebrating the music from the terraces which propelled Wales to qualification for Euro 2016. Presenter and opera star Wynne Evans will lead BBC Radio Wales’ Music Day with themed content throughout the day including music from the Urdd Eisteddfod – one of Europe’s biggest youth festivals - on BBC Radio Cymru.
Bob Shennan, controller of Radio 2 and director of BBC Music, said: “BBC Music Day is a unique opportunity for people to celebrate music and musical talent, whether attending one of the many events taking place or tuning in at home.”
Rebecca Sandiford, producer of BBC Music Day, commented: “It’s fantastic to be producing BBC Music Day for the second year running. The breadth of musical creativity this year is truly inspiring, from grass-roots musicians of all ages to collaborations with some of the biggest names in the music industry. I hope the events and activity throughout the UK will be as uplifting for audiences as they have been for those involved in creating them. I’m also delighted to have such outstanding Ambassadors involved on the day.”
For a for list of events, see bbc.co.uk/musicday.
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