Help choose an anthem for the North East
AN open vote is under way to find the tune that best symbolises the North East and the winning track is set to enjoy a unique place in the spotlight.
Members of the public have until tomorrow to nominate their favourite song and the tune that comes top will be revealed two weeks later in a unique performance by the worldfamous BBC Philharmonic orchestra.
The 80-piece orchestra will be getting together on a scale unlike anything it has attempted before and each musician will play and record his or her part remotely to contribute to a new version of the chosen socalled Anthem of the North East – whatever it might be.
And the possibilities, from famous local names ranging from Cheryl and Emeli Sande to Prefab Sprout and rock legends The Animals, are huge.
Voters can make their nominations via a phone call, text, tweet or email up until noon on July 23.
Presenters at BBC Radio Newcastle will pick the winner then send it to BBC Philharmonic whose classically-trained musicians then will have just two weeks to write, rehearse and perform the tune.
Once the musicians have recorded their own parts from home, the performances will be combined to create a re-imagined version of the song which will be revealed on the station’s Breakfast Show.
Another nine local radio areas will be running their own searches and Simon Webb, director of the BBC Philharmonic, said that while the orchestra members are glad to find new ways of reaching people during the pandemic, and have honed their skills in creating lockdown tracks for national radio, they have “never attempted something on this scale before”.
He said: “To take 10 popular songs, turn them into pieces that dozens of classicallytrained musicians can play – all while those musicians are stuck in their own homes – is going to be a real challenge.
“But the BBC Philharmonic is no stranger to creative challenges and we can’t wait to get stuck in.”
The song chosen by the public to best capture the North East will be added to the Great Northern Playlist on BBC Sounds, to be made up of the tracks picked from each of the 10 BBC local radio areas in the North covered by BBC Philharmonic, which has been based in Manchester for almost 100 years.
BBC Newcastle presenter Alfie Joey said: “Let’s find out once and for all: what is the anthem of the North East?
“The North East is full of musical gems that have taken the nation’s music scene by storm, from acts like Dire Straits and The Animals to Little Mix and Cheryl. “I can’t wait to see who listeners nominate for the song that sums up the North East to them.” Rozina Breen, head of BBC North, added: “The North has produced some of the world’s best bands, musicians and songwriters and our aim is to bring communities in crisis together creatively, through music, with a celebration of our shared and world-renowned musical heritage.”
■ To nominate a song either call 08002 346 565; text 81333 starting the text with ‘BBC’; email bbcnewcastle@ bbc.co.uk or tweet: @bbcnewscastle using #GreatNorthernPlaylist