BBC Radiophonic Workshop Refounded

The BBC reports that it has re-opened its legendary Radiophonic Workshop, since shuttering it in 1998:

The original workshop was known for its pioneering use of electronic sounds.

Founded in 1958, it was best-known for creating the eerie swoosh of the Doctor Who theme tune, but its compositions were also used in numerous radio dramas, The Goon Show and The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

[…] “By bringing together the people making the technology with people making the music, we are hoping to find engaging answers to some of the modern problems associated with the role of sound and music on the internet, in certain creative forms and within broadcasting.”

The other artists joining [Composer Matthew Herbert] in the New Radiophonic Workshop are Mica Levi, from the band Micachu and the Shapes, Yann Seznec, Max de Wardener, theatre director Lyndsey Turner, Patrick Bergel and broadcast technologist Tony Churnside.

The Workshop, aside from creating a lot of memorable television music and sound effects, was in the 60s and 70s at the cutting-edge of developing modern synthesizer and sampler techniques, and created a base for avant garde composers like Delia Derbyshire.  The new Workshop will be completely online, with artists collaborating and presenting their work primarily over the web.  If you haven’t heard about it before you should definitely check out Wikipedia and this great Sound on Sound article written a few years ago.