Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Six months ago the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ launched an ambitious musical project for Yorkshire. A Symphony For Yorkshire involved the making of a short musical film by more than 200 musicians from around the county, following open auditions and a competition to write the lyrics to a new Yorkshire Anthem.

On Yorkshire Day – 1 August 2010 – the 15-minute symphony was broadcast simultaneously for the first time on local radio stations across the county, and shown on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Look North, on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ websites and on Youtube – where it has attracted thousands of hits from across the world.

Next week, viewers will get the chance to see how the whole project was put together in a special documentary called Making A Symphony For Yorkshire, which can be seen on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ One in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire on Monday, 6 September at 7.30pm.

Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Head of Yorkshire, Helen Thomas, said: "We've had a tremendous response from our audience since playing the Symphony on local radio and on Look North. It was a hugely challenging piece of work for everyone involved and this programme tells the story of how an ambitious idea came to life – if you enjoyed the Symphony it's a programme you don't want to miss."

Composer Benjamin Till wrote the score for the symphony and tailored the four very different movements to the individual talents of all the volunteers. The musicians were then filmed in 50 locations across Yorkshire with a finale on the streets of Sheffield.

The documentary highlights the frustration and elation of the auditions, rehearsals, the filming and the eventual screening of the project.

Benjamin said: "This has been the most difficult, complicated, ambitious project that I have ever done – incredibly hard work but hugely rewarding.

"Yorkshire people have to be among the proudest people on the planet. It's been an enormous thrill and a great honour to be able to write a piece of music which brings so many Yorkshire-based musicians from so many different musical traditions together and I really hope I have done the county proud."

The winner of the lyrics competition was 98-year-old great grandmother Doreen Brigham, from Harrogate, who is featured reading the last line of the poem in the film.

She said: "I am completely overcome. I love writing poetry and am absolutely thrilled that the words have been put to music."

Notes to Editors

A preview dvd of the programme is available upon request.

AB2