Episodes

EpisodeFirst
Broadcast
RepeatedComments
012016081620160815 (R4)The great adventure of the National Youth Orchestra of Iraq deserves not only to be recorded for posterity but also to serve as an example of how the essential can survive catastrophe.' - Sir Peter Maxwell Davies.

Musician and conductor Paul MacAlindin was eating fish and chips in an Edinburgh cafe in 2008 when he first read the story in the Herald newspaper - 'Iraqi teen seeks Maestro'. That Iraqi teen was the astonishing Zuhal Sultan, a pianist who dreamed up the idea of a National Youth Orchestra of Iraq aged only 17.

Paul was intrigued.

Barely out of war, with no discernible orchestral tradition that he knew of, what could there be to work with? What instruments did they even have? How could it be that we in the West had heard so much about war and bloodshed in Iraq, but knew so little of who the Iraqis really were?

Fixated on the article, fish trembling at the end of his fork, Paul simply said to himself, 'I know how to do this.

The following year, after auditions via Skype, a promise of a bespoke piece from the late Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, favours called in, massive logistical complexities and financial hiccups, they ran their first summer school. And so the National Youth Orchestra of Iraq was born.

In a few short years this group of young musicians came through the most difficult and dangerous times to produce fine music, not only in Iraq

Read by Kenny Blyth

Written by Paul MacAlindin

Directed and Abridged by Polly Coles

In 2008, 17-year-old pianist Zuhal Sultan decided to create an Iraqi youth orchestra.

022016081520160816 (R4)The great adventure of the National Youth Orchestra of Iraq deserves not only to be recorded for posterity but also to serve as an example of how the essential can survive catastrophe.' - Sir Peter Maxwell Davies.

Musician and conductor Paul MacAlindin was eating fish and chips in an Edinburgh cafe in 2008 when he first read the story in the Herald newspaper - 'Iraqi teen seeks Maestro'. That Iraqi teen was the astonishing Zuhal Sultan, a pianist who dreamed up the idea of a National Youth Orchestra of Iraq aged only 17.

Paul was intrigued.

Barely out of war, with no discernible orchestral tradition that he knew of, what could there be to work with? What instruments did they even have? How could it be that we in the West had heard so much about war and bloodshed in Iraq, but knew so little of who the Iraqis really were?

Fixated on the article, fish trembling at the end of his fork, Paul simply said to himself, 'I know how to do this.

The following year, after auditions via Skype, a promise of a bespoke piece from the late Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, favours called in, massive logistical complexities and financial hiccups, they ran their first summer school. And so the National Youth Orchestra of Iraq was born.

In a few short years this group of young musicians came through the most difficult and dangerous times to produce fine music, not only in Iraq

Read by Kenny Blyth

Written by Paul MacAlindin

Directed and Abridged by Polly Coles

Paul McAlindin searches for players and tutors for the National Youth Orchestra of Iraq.

0320160817The great adventure of the National Youth Orchestra of Iraq deserves not only to be recorded for posterity but also to serve as an example of how the essential can survive catastrophe.' - Sir Peter Maxwell Davies.

Musician and conductor Paul MacAlindin was eating fish and chips in an Edinburgh cafe in 2008 when he first read the story in the Herald newspaper - 'Iraqi teen seeks Maestro'. That Iraqi teen was the astonishing Zuhal Sultan, a pianist who dreamed up the idea of a National Youth Orchestra of Iraq aged only 17.

Paul was intrigued.

Barely out of war, with no discernible orchestral tradition that he knew of, what could there be to work with? What instruments did they even have? How could it be that we in the West had heard so much about war and bloodshed in Iraq, but knew so little of who the Iraqis really were?

Fixated on the article, fish trembling at the end of his fork, Paul simply said to himself, 'I know how to do this.

The following year, after auditions via Skype, a promise of a bespoke piece from the late Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, favours called in, massive logistical complexities and financial hiccups, they ran their first summer school. And so the National Youth Orchestra of Iraq was born.

In a few short years this group of young musicians came through the most difficult and dangerous times to produce fine music, not only in Iraq

Read by Kenny Blyth

Written by Paul MacAlindin

Directed and Abridged by Polly Coles

The National Youth Orchestra of Iraq is finally going to play overseas in Germany.

0420160818The great adventure of the National Youth Orchestra of Iraq deserves not only to be recorded for posterity but also to serve as an example of how the essential can survive catastrophe.' - Sir Peter Maxwell Davies.

Musician and conductor Paul MacAlindin was eating fish and chips in an Edinburgh cafe in 2008 when he first read the story in the Herald newspaper - 'Iraqi teen seeks Maestro'. That Iraqi teen was the astonishing Zuhal Sultan, a pianist who dreamed up the idea of a National Youth Orchestra of Iraq aged only 17.

Paul was intrigued.

Barely out of war, with no discernible orchestral tradition that he knew of, what could there be to work with? What instruments did they even have? How could it be that we in the West had heard so much about war and bloodshed in Iraq, but knew so little of who the Iraqis really were?

Fixated on the article, fish trembling at the end of his fork, Paul simply said to himself, 'I know how to do this.

The following year, after auditions via Skype, a promise of a bespoke piece from the late Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, favours called in, massive logistical complexities and financial hiccups, they ran their first summer school. And so the National Youth Orchestra of Iraq was born.

In a few short years this group of young musicians came through the most difficult and dangerous times to produce fine music, not only in Iraq

Read by Kenny Blyth

Written by Paul MacAlindin

Directed and Abridged by Polly Coles

Paul MacAlindin decides to take the National Youth Orchestra of Iraq to the USA.

05 LAST20160819The great adventure of the National Youth Orchestra of Iraq deserves not only to be recorded for posterity but also to serve as an example of how the essential can survive catastrophe.' - Sir Peter Maxwell Davies.

Musician and conductor Paul MacAlindin was eating fish and chips in an Edinburgh cafe in 2008 when he first read the story in the Herald newspaper - 'Iraqi teen seeks Maestro'. That Iraqi teen was the astonishing Zuhal Sultan, a pianist who dreamed up the idea of a National Youth Orchestra of Iraq aged only 17.

Paul was intrigued.

Barely out of war, with no discernible orchestral tradition that he knew of, what could there be to work with? What instruments did they even have? How could it be that we in the West had heard so much about war and bloodshed in Iraq, but knew so little of who the Iraqis really were?

Fixated on the article, fish trembling at the end of his fork, Paul simply said to himself, 'I know how to do this.

The following year, after auditions via Skype, a promise of a bespoke piece from the late Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, favours called in, massive logistical complexities and financial hiccups, they ran their first summer school. And so the National Youth Orchestra of Iraq was born.

In a few short years this group of young musicians came through the most difficult and dangerous times to produce fine music, not only in Iraq

Read by Kenny Blyth

Written by Paul MacAlindin

Directed and Abridged by Polly Coles

Paul McAlindin looks back at the huge achievements of the National Youth Orchestra of Iraq