What is Radio 3 doing in a glass box on the southbank?

"A topic that comes up at every classical music debate is the need to engage audiences in a world where our attention is constantly being diverted. It’s something that we also think about in radio.

At Radio 3, being a public service broadcaster, audience figures are only one measure of success. The other is the breadth and range of what we do and, more importantly, how we do it. But the debate about audiences and the increasing demands on their time is something we can’t afford to ignore as we plan our programming and special seasons. How can we best serve our audiences, existing and potential, in a noisy, distracting world?

This week we’re trying a new way of connecting with people. For the next fortnight Radio 3’s every studio broadcast is coming from a pop-up studio in the Southbank Centre. We want to interact with our listeners and give them the chance to meet our presenters and the teams who help make each programme. Audiences always love behind-the-scenes glimpses, and it will be fascinating to get their views in person, and also to introduce new listeners to the station. In our increasingly time-poor world, I hope that our very visible presence will provide a chance for us to engage people’s attention in a way that demonstrates all that we do; from live music through to arts discussion and debate. I’m looking forward to being there regularly myself, and to the Q&A sessions we’ll hold. It is an exciting moment for us to be at the Southbank Centre – not only does it help reinforce the message about the station’s unique commitment to live music – with live performances every day - but this is also the week when the refurbished Royal Festival Hall organ is being unveiled as part of Pull Out All the Stops festival.

Whatever your take on music for the organ (“Not enough organ music”, says one listener, “please, not more organ music”, writes another) we are certainly pulling out all the stops to celebrate this important moment in the UK’s classical music life. The puns will flow - it’s a swell season, a good way to pedal (sic) the station, etc, but despite the linguistic danger, it will be a thrill to hear the organ in the festival hall again, and to bring the Southbank Centre’s publicly funded work to a much larger audience alongside the atmosphere of the wider festival.

Long days and evenings lie ahead, but we are ready to “console” ourselves with the excitement of this unique residency. It is the audience who pays for what we do and so our mission to explain, with unique residencies like this, is vital as well as fun."

... Who might be up to one or other job? Gillian Moore, now head of classical music at the Southbank Centre, and Meurig Bowen, director of the Cheltenham Festival, are two obvious names. Svend Brown, director of Glasgow Unesco City of Music and the East Neuk Festival, would make an interesting wild card. Whoever takes on Radio 3 will have the extra challenge of budget cuts, on top of the political issues. Roger Wright must be glad he’s heading off to the peace of the Suffolk countryside."