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Sir Ian Blatchford, Science Museum director

Sir Ian Blatchford, director and chief executive of the Science Museum Group, shares his musical choices with Michael Berkeley.

Sir Ian Blatchford has been the Director of the Science Museum in London for more than 15 years – the longest serving director in its history.

He also oversees the National Railway Museum in York, the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford, the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester, Locomotion in County Durham, and the Science and Innovation Park in Wiltshire - all enjoyed by more than four million visitors last year.

He was the first in his family to go to university and his early career was in banking, but his passion was for culture. He combined the two as Finance Director at the V+A, before crossing the road to lead the Science Museum. It’s currently a very challenging time for anyone running a museum, with hard questions about funding, sponsorship and exhibition content.

His musical choices include Elgar, Monteverdi, Wagner and Sarah Vaughan.

Producer: Katy Hickman

20 days left to listen

1 hour, 26 minutes

Last on

Sun 22 Mar 202612:00
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    Piano Concerto No. 1 in B Flat Minor (1st mvt)

    Performer: Solomon. Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Исай Добровейн.
    • Solomon Concertos, Vol. 2.
    • Editions Audiovisuel Beulah.
    • 4.

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    For all the saints [Sine nomine]

    Choir: Choir of York Minster. Performer: John Scott Whiteley. Conductor: Philip Moore.
    • Best-Loved Hymns from York Minster.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 12.

  • George Shearing

    Lullaby Of Birdland

    Composer: George David Weiss. Performer: Ernie Wilkins. Singer: Sarah Vaughan.
    • Sarah Vaughan.
    • Verve Reissues.
    • 1.

  • Claudio Monteverdi

    Beatus vir à 6 (Selva morale e spirituale)

    Singer: Emma Kirkby. Singer: Rogers Covey‐Crump. Singer: David Thomas. Choir: Taverner Consort. Ensemble: Taverner Players. Conductor: Andrew Parrott.
    • Vespro della beata Vergine 1610.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 11.

  • Samuel Barber

    Violin Concerto (2nd mvmt Andante)

    Performer: Gil Shaham. Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: André Previn.
    • DG.

  • Richard Wagner

    Grane, my horse (Gotterdammerung)

    Singer: Rita Hunter. Singer: Clifford Grant. Orchestra: Sadler’s Wells Opera Orchestra. Conductor: Reginald Goodall.
    • Wagner: Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods).
    • Chandos.
    • 12.

  • Dmitry Shostakovich

    Festive Overture Op.96

    Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Vladimir Ashkenazy.
    • Shostakovich: Symphony No.2 etc: Royal Philhamonic Orchestra/Ashkenazy.
    • Decca.
    • 1.

  • Julie Gold

    From A Distance

    Singer: Nanci Griffith.
    • One Fair Summer Evening.
    • Geffen*.
    • 10.

  • Edward Elgar

    Symphony No.1 in A flat - 4th mvt

    Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Andrew Davis.
    • Elgar: Symphonies Nos. 1 and 2.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 204.

Broadcast

  • Sun 22 Mar 202612:00
    BBC Radio 3

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