Discovering Delia

In Coventry and on air

As part of its successful bid to be 2021’s UK City of Culture, Coventry announced the name of a street in a new Stoke Heath housing estate: Derbyshire Way. ‘Originally it was to be named Derbyshire Road,’ says Coventry Music Museum director Pete Chambers. ‘I suggested “Way” instead to give it a double meaning, as Delia was a genius and strong personality and really did do things in her own way.’ The Coventry Music Museum has a display devoted to Derbyshire, featuring her tape recorder and personal copy of the score for her version of Ron Grainer’s Doctor Who theme.

The BBC is shining a light on Coventry in some of its programming this year, including the broadcast on BBC Four of Delia Derbyshire: The Myths & The Legendary Tapes, a new cinematic portrait of the composer. Music is at the heart of the award-winning film, with Derbyshire’s posthumously discovered ‘Attic Tapes’ paired with a new score by musician and performance artist Cosey Fanni Tutti

(pictured right).