Dr Lucy Walker welcomes a range of fun and interesting guests to explore all things Britten and Pears, music, culture, heritage - as well as anything else that might come up!

Browse Season 2 below, or jump to Season 1 or Season 3

Season 2

For the first of Season 2 of our podcasts, Lucy Walker is joined by Oliver Craske, author of Indian Sun, the first biography of Ravi Shankar.

Tune in to hear about Shankar’s extraordinary life and utter dedication to musicianship, captured vividly in this beautiful book. Also discussed is how Shankar’s life briefly, but significantly, intersected with Britten’s at various times. Plus, what our podcasters have been listening to lately.


Writer, broadcaster and composer Stephen Johnson joins Lucy Walker for a conversation about music, mental health, and the remarkable emotional impact certain works can have.

Stephen’s recent books include How Shostakovich Changed my Mind, a very personal response to Shostakovich’s works, and The Eighth, a study of Mahler’s Eighth Symphony, and the world from which it emerged. Join in for a wide-ranging and fascinating discussion – plus, what our contributors have been listening to recently.


This week, Lucy is joined from across the Atlantic by Imani Mosley, Assistant Professor of Music at the University of Florida.

Tune in for a wide-ranging and illuminating conversation, covering matters musical, cultural and political - as well as 'Why Britten Matters'. Plus, further additions to our brilliantly eclectic From The Red House playlist.


For our second podcast from the USA, Lucy talks to Justin Vickers, Associate Professor of Music at Illinois State University.

Justin has a longstanding association with The Red House and Snape Maltings, often visiting the UK, and is always looking for new ways to explore Britten's music in his scholarship and recital programmes. Tune in to find out more about this fascination for Britten and his world. Plus, what our podcasters have been listening to lately.


In this week’s podcast, Lucy Walker is joined by colleague Callum Given, Interim Head of Community at Britten Pears Arts.

Both Lucy’s and Callum’s work is all about encouraging as many people as possible to be involved in music – tune in to hear about music in schools, in the community, and how it benefits us all! Plus, further additions to our increasingly eclectic podcast playlist.


For today’s podcast, Lucy Walker is joined by guitarist Sean Shibe, recently nominated for a 2020 RPS Award in the Instrumentalist category.

Sean is one of the most adventurous musicians working today, combining classical and electronic music in his repertoire, and with a fascinating back catalogue of recordings, including the Gramophone award-winning softLOUD. Tune in for a discussion about Sean’s career to date, the challenges of 2020, adventurous concert-programming, and some surprising new contributions to our Podcast Playlist!


The composer Errollyn Wallen is Lucy Walker’s guest on our podcast this week. Errollyn is one of the most prolific composers working today, with a remarkable back catalogue of works covering a huge range range of styles and genres.

In this extraordinary year, her arrangement of Jerusalem was premiered at the Last Night of the Proms; she has been nominated for an RPS award in the Large-Scale Composition category for her piece This Frame is Part of the Painting; and her new EP Peace on Earth is released on 13 November. Tune in for a conversation about approaches to composition, the central role of collaboration, racial politics and classical music, and what music makes Errollyn dance. Plus, further contributions to our Podcast Playlist, including Errollyn’s piece Are you Worried about the Rising Cost of Funerals. Also discussed was the Radio 3 programme Errollyn presented in 2019 on composer John Powell: A Racist Music.


Our From The Red House podcast for Britten’s birthday is actually From The Red House! Lucy Walker is joined by Britten Pears Arts colleagues Sarah Bardwell (Executive Director) and Nicholas Clark (Librarian).

Together they reflect on Britten’s place in the world on his 107th birthday, talk about what Britten Pears Arts has been doing this very unusual year, and to explore a fascinating collection of birthday-related items from the Red House collection. Plus, as usual, some further contributions to our Spotify playlist.


This week’s podcast guest is Dr Natasha Loges, Head of Postgraduate Programmes at the Royal College of Music, and with a particular research interest in song.

Tune in to hear a conversation about songs on the concert stage and in the home, the relationships that inspire composers to write them, and fascinating insights into the ever-changing conventions of song performance. Plus, some further contributions to our podcast playlist.


This weeks podcast guest is Anna Lapwood: organist, broadcaster, and Director of Music at Pembroke College, Cambridge.

Tune in for the final episode before Christmas for a conversation about Anna's remarkable career, the rise of female conductors and organists, and the joy of transcribing orchestral works for organ. Plus, some further additions to our podcast playlist, including some festive treats.