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Olga Gwynne, John Lawrenson and the Bowman Hyde Singers

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Friday Night 60th Anniversary Broadcast

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I first experienced the thrill of a live Friday Night Is Music Night broadcast as a 20 year old singing with the Stephen Hill singers - one of my very first professional jobs! The show was already 30 years young and had a formula that was unique and special. I did many broadcasts with the group and fairly soon I was fortunate enough to be picked out of the chorus and asked to sing as a soloist. That was a fantastic opportunity for me to get to sing a wide variety of repertoire with some of the best conductors around and the wonderful musicians of the 麻豆约拍 Concert Orchestra.
The show is in my family's blood now as my mum - Rosemary Phillips - was an alto with the John McCarthy singers and did several broadcasts over a number of years and just 6 months ago I had the great excitement of seeing my eldest daughter Emily Carewe-Jeffries perform with The Royal Academy Of Music choir for a broadcast from the Mermaid Theatre!
Happy 60th birthday Friday Night!!

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What a joy to be singing with the superb 麻豆约拍 Concert Orchestra again on the 60th Anniversary of 鈥淔riday Night is Music Night!鈥� And this, my 107th programme, I think, (the first being back in 1978) was just as much of a thrill as the first.
The intervening years have seen a variety of producers, conductors and presenters, and many of the orchestral personnel I knew in 鈥渢he old days鈥� have moved on or retired. But the versatility and talent of the players remains incomparable, equally at home with all styles of music. This variety was always one of 鈥淔riday Night鈥檚鈥� great traditions: that in one programme the audience could enjoy examples of everything from opera and classical orchestral repertoire, through film and show music, to modern fare.
The routine of a broadcast day has changed very little, with a piano rehearsal for soloists and conductor just after lunch, followed by a full orchestral rehearsal and, after a short break, the live broadcast: a long day for all concerned. There were lots of outside broadcasts around the country in my earlier years with the programme 鈥� from Croydon, Manchester and听 Bexhill-on-Sea, for example, and for these, we had an additional, more leisurely, extra rehearsal day. During the programme the 鈥淪tar Singers鈥� were always introduced with 鈥淪ong of Songs鈥� which involved singing an offstage opening and then a mad dash to get to the stage microphone for the final sung phrase. The regular shows from the lovely Golders Green Hippodrome frequently featured a military band and always a choir. I have such wonderful memories of working alongside John Lawrenson, Joan Savage, Robin Boyle, Richard Baker, Robert Docker, Gordon Langford, Ashleigh Lawrence, Kenneth Alwyn, Robert Bowman, Barry Knight 鈥� the names come flooding back!听
The format of the show may have changed a bit, thanks to economic and security restrictions, but 鈥淔riday Night is Music Night鈥� remains a great tradition, adored by so many listeners of all ages. May it thrive for another 60 years! Congratulations 麻豆约拍.

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Wow 60 years....well I don't quite go back to the first show, but fresh out of music college, I sang my very first Friday Night Is Music Night nearly 20 years ago. Since then I have sung at many over the years in various venues all over the UK. The programme was very much part of my musical training, listening to dozens of different singers and of course lots of varying repertoire.
As my career has gone in different directions over the years my association with the show has always been there, and I still get butterflies when the signature tune begins the presenter says your name, while I'm sat backstage waiting to go on. For me, and countless others, Friday Night, has always and will be for many years to come, Music Night.

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Orchestra Leader Cynthia Fleming and Conductor Rod Dunk 听share听their memories...

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As Leader of the 麻豆约拍 Concert Orchestra, I was delighted to be able to write a few lines as the Orchestra reaches the 60th year milestone for FNIMN. I have been associated with the programme for half of that time now and it remains the programme I most look forward to doing in our schedule. When the music is as diverse a mix as traditional FN programmes have always been it is great fun to be able to switch styles in a heart-beat and I never tire of the format. Over the years we have seen faces change and music updated but the original idea of 鈥渟omething for everyone鈥� is the well spring of inspiration that, I believe, stands the test of time. The programme we did last Friday was a wonderful example of FNIMN at it鈥檚 very best and I was proud to play a part in it. Long may it continue in that noble tradition!

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I was absolutely delighted when Bridget Apps invited me to conduct the 60th anniversary broadcast of Friday Night is Music Night, a program I have been associated with for many years and have the greatest affection for. The anniversary show had a wonderful atmosphere of fun and celebration, with star singers and the 麻豆约拍 Concert Orchestra on top form. I think Bridget devised a programme that really highlighted all that is best about this unique show, with great contrasts across a wide variety of genres, all within one single broadcast. If this had been the first time you had ever heard the show, you would instantly realise why it has lasted for 60 years. Where else can you hear Opera, Swing, Musical Theatre, Film Scores, Ballet,听Concert Classics, Pop and more, all within one show and live too? That's real entertainment and holds true to the promise of "music for everyone".
The genuine excitement of the audience in the hall, young and old alike,said it all. It was a real privilege to be a part of it. Here's to the next 60 years of this totally unique musical tradition!