World and roots music will take centre stage as BBC Radio 3 broadcasts a series of programmes from a leading annual festival.
The programmes include specially-curated performances selected by Radio 3 from around the world on the BBC Radio 3 Charlie Gillett Stage. Highlights of performances and interviews from the other stages will also be broadcast.
These include the Siam Tent and Open Air Stage and the unveiling of this year’s BBC Introducing Radio 3 world music artists in their WOMAD debut.
Regular presenters of the World On 3 programme, Lopa Kothari and Mary-Ann Kennedy, will host the coverage from 29th to 31st July. They will be joined by folk performer Kathryn Tickell will join them. Kathryn won Musician of the Year at the Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2013.
Musician and BBC Radio 6 Music presenter Cerys Matthews returns to WOMAD and will host her programme there from 10am on Sunday 31st July.
Performers taking to the BBC Radio 3 Charlie Gillett stage include:
- Tuva throat singers Alash, formed from the Tuvan National Orchestra.
- Amaraterra were discovered by BBC Radio 3 as part of BBC Introducing World Music 2016 – performing a selection of pizzica and roots music from all over the South of Italy
- Brazilian-born cellist, singer and song-writer Dom La Nena. The debut album by Dom La Nena came as a result of meeting singer-songwriter Piers Faccini in Paris.
- St Petersburg based Otava Yo are yearning to rediscover folk heritage. Unable to get away from the fact they were brought up in the era of Punk they have taken their anarchic mix across Russia, India, China and America.
“World and roots music are a big part of BBC Radio 3’s remit as a place that connects audiences with remarkable music and culture,” said Alan Davey, Controller, BBC Radio 3.
BBC Radio 3 broadcasts from several festivals a year, such as the BBC Radio 3 Free Thinking event last autumn in Gateshead. The BBC will also cover Glastonbury Festival and T in the Park this summer.