Episodes

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201901Different Worlds20190304Donald Macleod talks to Debbie Wiseman about the importance of versatility in her work as a screen composer.

Debbie Wiseman has over two hundred credits for her music, ranging from television and film, to the concert hall and music for royal pageantry. Not only is she a multi-award winning composer, but also a pianist and conductor, often performing in and recording her own works. Wiseman also works as a Visiting Professor at a number of academic institutions including the Royal College of Music. As a composer for the concert hall, Wiseman has collaborated with Hayley Westenra, Stephen Fry, Nigel Havers, Vanessa Redgrave and Alan Titchmarsh. She has provided music for two royal anniversaries, including the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrated on the river Thames. Donald Macleod visits Debbie Wiseman at her home in London to discuss her long and varied career.

Today, they discuss the film composer's craft of evoking different worlds in music, and how important it is to be versatile. Her work has included such diverse projects as period drama, Wolf Hall, the intense and disturbing film, Haunted, and the horror comedy, Lesbian Vampire Killers. Wiseman also discusses her process of writing her recent concert piece, inspired by the signs of the Zodiac.

The Locrian Ensemble of London

Debbie Wiseman, conductor

Wolf Hall (excerpts)

The Musical Zodiac (excerpts)

Rolf Wilson, violin

Justin Pearson, cello

Ian Jones, piano

National Symphony Orchestra

Haunted (excerpts)

Studio Orchestra

Lesbian Vampire Killers (excerpts)

Hayley Westenra, vocalist

Crouch End Festival Chorus

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Produced by Luke Whitlock, for BBC Wales

Donald Macleod talks to Debbie Wiseman about the importance of versatility.

201902Student And Teacher20190305Debbie Wiseman talks to Donald Macleod about her belief in lifelong learning,

Debbie Wiseman has over two hundred credits for her music, ranging from television and film, to the concert hall and music for royal pageantry. Not only is she a multi-award winning composer, but also a pianist and conductor, often performing in and recording her own works. Wiseman also works as a Visiting Professor at a number of academic institutions including the Royal College of Music. As a composer for the concert hall, Wiseman has collaborated with Hayley Westenra, Stephen Fry, Nigel Havers, Vanessa Redgrave and Alan Titchmarsh. She has provided music for two royal anniversaries, including the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrated on the river Thames. Donald Macleod visits Debbie Wiseman at her home in London to discuss her long and varied career.

Today, they discuss Debbie's forays into music education. Wiseman attended Trinity College, Morley College and the Guildhall in London, and each of these institutions left a lasting impression. Today she enjoys giving lectures and masterclasses to students of her own. Wiseman also discusses the commission she received to compose a new version of the Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra.

Wilde (Wild West)

Guildhall Symphony Orchestra

Debbie Wiseman, conductor

Judge John Deed (Man of Law)

Debbie Wiseman, piano

The Andrew Marr Show (Affairs Current)

Tom & Viv (excerpts)

Studio Orchestra

The Nightingale and the Rose

Stephen Fry, narrator

Academy of St Martin in the Fields

Neville Marriner, conductor

Arsene Lupin (excerpts)

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Produced by Luke Whitlock, for BBC Wales

201903Music And Pictures20190306Donald Macleod talks to Debbie Wiseman about composing for the screen.

Debbie Wiseman has over two hundred credits for her music, ranging from television and film, to the concert hall and music for royal pageantry. Not only is she a multi-award winning composer, but also a pianist and conductor, often performing in and recording her own works. Wiseman also works as a Visiting Professor at a number of academic institutions including the Royal College of Music. As a composer for the concert hall, Wiseman has collaborated with Hayley Westenra, Stephen Fry, Nigel Havers, Vanessa Redgrave and Alan Titchmarsh. She has provided music for two royal anniversaries, including the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrated on the river Thames. Donald Macleod visits Debbie Wiseman at her home in London to discuss her long and varied career.

Today, Donald and Debbie discuss her approach to writing music for film and television. They talk about the joys and challenges of collaborating with directors and how music and storytelling work together. They also shine the spotlight on a different kind of musical narrative, in her work for narrator and orchestra, the Ugly Duckling.

Lighthouse (The Easiest Killing)

Studio Orchestra

Debbie Wiseman, conductor

The Promise (excerpts)

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Warriors (excerpts)

Studio Singers and Orchestra

Edie (excerpts)

National Symphony Orchestra

Nigel Havers, narrator

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Produced by Luke Whitlock, for BBC Wales

201904Music For Public Spaces20190307Donald Macleod and Debbie Wiseman discuss the challenges of composing for royal events.

Debbie Wiseman has over two hundred credits for her music, ranging from television and film, to the concert hall and music for royal pageantry. Not only is she a multi-award winning composer, but also a pianist and conductor, often performing in and recording her own works. Wiseman also works as a Visiting Professor at a number of academic institutions including the Royal College of Music. As a composer for the concert hall, Wiseman has collaborated with Hayley Westenra, Stephen Fry, Nigel Havers, Vanessa Redgrave and Alan Titchmarsh. She has provided music for two royal anniversaries. Donald Macleod visits Debbie Wiseman at her home in London to discuss her long and varied career.

Today Donald and Debbie talk about her work away from the big screen, including her music for the Queen's 90th birthday, and the piece she composed to be performed on a barge in the middle of the river Thames, as part of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Wiseman also discusses her collaboration with gardener, Alan Titchmarsh on her concert work, The Glorious Garden.

Quiet Room

Debbie Wiseman, piano

Gigue

Ensemble H20

Debbie Wiseman, conductor

The 90th Birthday Celebration Suite (excerpts)

National Symphony Orchestra

The Glorious Garden (excerpts)

Alan Titchmarsh, narrator

Tom's Midnight Garden (excerpts)

Studio Orchestra

Produced by Luke Whitlock, for BBC Wales

201905 LASTBeyond Composing20190308Donald Macleod talks to Debbie Wiseman about her life outside of the composer's studio.

Debbie Wiseman has over two hundred credits for her music, ranging from television and film, to the concert hall and music for royal pageantry. Not only is she a multi-award winning composer, but also a pianist and conductor, often performing in and recording her own works. Wiseman also works as a Visiting Professor at a number of academic institutions including the Royal College of Music. As a composer for the concert hall, Wiseman has collaborated with Hayley Westenra, Stephen Fry, Nigel Havers, Vanessa Redgrave and Alan Titchmarsh. She has provided music for two royal anniversaries. Donald Macleod visits Debbie Wiseman at her home in London to discuss her long and varied career.

Today, Donald asks Debbie about her ventures into conducting, performing, and presenting.

Flood

Hayley Westenra, voice

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Debbie Wiseman, conductor

Middletown (excerpts)

Studio Orchestra

The Upper Hand (Joe & Diana)

Debbie Wiseman, piano

Joanna Lumley's Nile (Journey of a Lifetime)

Father Brown

Guildhall Symphony Orchestra

Land Girls (While We're Away)

The Geoff Pearce Little Big Band

The Selfish Giant

Vanessa Redgrave, narrator

Academy of St Martin in the Fields

Sir Neville Marriner, conductor

Produced by Luke Whitlock for BBC Wales