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Radio 2 announces Piano Room Month live sessions

By | Published on Monday 17 January 2022

BBC Radio 2

BBC Radio 2 has announced that it will broadcast a series of 20 new live sessions with artists including Ed Sheeran, Anne-Marie, Jamie Cullum, Joy Crookes and Emeli Sandé. Starting later this month, one session a day will air on Ken Bruce’s weekday morning show, with each performer backed by the BBC Concert Orchestra.

Dubbed Radio 2’s Piano Room Month – because the sessions will be recorded in the Piano Room at the broadcaster’s Maida Vale Studios, see? – each artist will perform three songs each – one new, one old and a cover.

All the performances will be broadcast live, aside from Ed Sheeran and Jamie Cullum, who are pre-recording their efforts. As well as the live broadcast on Radio 2, a video of each set will also be available on the iPlayer for 30 days. There will also be an hour long highlights show each Sunday over the course of the month.

“At Radio 2 we pride ourselves on providing our music-loving listeners with the widest range of songs and live music to be heard anywhere on UK radio”, says Radio 2 Head Of Music Jeff Smith. “We worked hard to offer incredible performances to our audience throughout the past two years, and I’m THRILLED to bring 20 live sessions to each of Ken’s weekday shows next month”.

Bruce adds: “I predict cold, rain and possibly even a smattering of snow this February, so what better remedy than to sit back with a warm brew and join me and some of the finest musicians in the world for Radio 2’s Piano Room Month”.

Meanwhile, Bill Chandler, Director of the BBC Concert Orchestra, says: “The BBC Concert Orchestra takes great pride in its Radio 2 home and is excited to collaborate with such a range of world-class musicians for its Piano Room Month. As the UK’s most versatile orchestra, we’re THRILLED to help bring these extra-special live performances to audiences across the month of February”.

The full line-up for Piano Room Month is:

31 Jan: David Gray
1 Feb: Jack Savoretti
2 Feb: Stereophonics
3 Feb: Anne-Marie
4 Feb: Katie Melua
7 Feb: Clean Bandit
8 Feb: Joy Crookes
9 Feb: Will Young
10 Feb: Rebecca Ferguson
11 Feb: Tom Odell
14 Feb: James Morrison
15 Feb: Ella Henderson
16 Feb: Craig David
17 Feb: Natalie Imbruglia
18 Feb: James Blunt
21 Feb: Tears For Fears
22 Feb: Simple Minds
23 Feb: Emeli Sandé
24 Feb: Jamie Cullum
25 Feb: Ed Sheeran



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