Radio choice Charlotte Runcie

The Spark Radio 4, 11am

Helen Lewis meets innovative thinkers in the return of her series exploring potentially dramatic solutions to society’s problems. In each of the four instalments, she speaks to one person about their new idea, where it has come from, how it could change things, and what the drawbacks might be. In this opening episode, Lewis meets Rory O’connor, the author of When It Is Darkest and leader of the Suicidal Behaviour Research Laboratory at Glasgow, one of the world’s leading suicide and self-harm research groups. He sets out his radical new approach to suicide prevention.

Rethinking Music Radio 4, 11.30am

The number of young people studying music in the UK has declined over the last 10 years, with state schools prioritising other subjects due to budget cuts. Fewer students are taking A Level music, and the subject could die out entirely in the next decade. With the future looking murky, where will the skilled musicians of tomorrow come from? In a three-part series, Soweto Kinch assesses the situation and its impact on the British economy, our culture, and children’s development, and discusses the future of music education with professionals Nicola Benedetti, Kadiatu Kannehmason and Nubya Garcia.