Over the last number of seasons, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales' Afternoons at Hoddinott Hall series have explored various themes, characters, or specific periods in musical history (and the musical present).
My favourite so far has been last season's exploration of music commissioned by, and dedicated to the impresario Paul Sacher - I genuinely felt I learnt something over the course of the series. Moreover, I was both astounded and inspired by the contribution this one man had made to our rich heritage of Western classical music.
Sacher was responsible for promoting and encouraging composers we now eulogise as giants of music, such as Stravinsky, Strauss, Henze, Lutoslawski, Dutilleux, Bartok, Britten, Elliot Carter and Hindemith, to name but a very few. An eclectic group of names, I'm sure you'll agree, but without Sacher's patronage many of our most beloved works may never have been written.
This season, between September to December, we will be embarking upon a new study entitled Americana. This will complement Radio 3's Afternoon on Three exploration of music from the States, and indeed each concert of our four concert series can be heard live on Radio 3.
Exciting for us here at BBC NOW HQ is the news that we will also be broadcast across the USA on American Public Media. So, Aunt Rose, if you're reading this - you can listen in too!
We're even going to have audio link ups with Fred Child from his studio in Minnesota (presenter of APM's Performance Today), while in Hoddinott Hall we will be ed by Radio 3's Late Junction presenter, Fiona Talkington. All in all, this will be a very cool transatlantic experience for orchestra, radio, and studio audience alike!
In the early 20th century, there emerged a desire amongst composers from, or based in America, to no longer simply emulate the voice of the Old World, but rather, to search for and discover a musical language that epitomised and encapsulated the New World. Their desire to assert their identity as American composers meant that there was a necessity to push musical boundaries, and to break the mould their musical forefathers had brought to America with them.
Consequently, what has emerged over the last century and a bit is an exciting, and diverse musical scene, a compositional environment that is truly a living, breathing being, informed by, but not fettered to our centuries long European heritage (glorious though it may be).
America itself is a bubbling, steaming, melting pot of cultures, ethnicities and tongues, and this is reflected in the influences that can be identified in American composition.
In Americana there will be names that you recognise (Adams, Copland, Barber), names synonymous with the music of the States. However, this series will also introduce the audience (and me!) to many composers and works that are little known here in Britain. I am relishing the opportunity to discover them, and I hope you can us for this exciting series.
The orchestra's Americana season will be held at BBC Hoddinott Hall, Cardiff Bay, in four afternoon concerts starting at 2pm.
The concerts will be held on 24 September, 18 October, 19 November and 2 December. For more information, call the Audience Line on 0800 052 1812 or visit bbc.co.uk/now
