Summary

This final episode of our first podcast series is all about collaboration. The conversation also explores the sense of community fostered during Delia Derbyshire Day events, highlighting memorable experiences and challenges and future hopes. Including our quirky segments Did you know and Delia's Desert Discs.

Host Marla Broadway (2025 volunteer) speaks with Laura Seddon (Volunteer Coordinator 2023 & 2025) and Sashwati Sengupta (DD Day trustee)

Chapters

00:00 - Intro

00:43 - Did you know

02:26 – The theme of collaboration

04:51 – how guests got involved with Delia Derbyshire Day

08:46 - Delia Derbyshire Day as an event

10:58 – How event has grown over the years

13:48 - What's gone into Manchester event happen for 2025

15:42 – challenges for creating Delia Derbyshire Day events

18:49 – future hopes for Delia Derbyshire Day events

20:26 – Best memories from Delia Derbyshire Day events guests attended

22:37 - Delia's Desert Discs

24:53 - outro

Keywords

Delia Derbyshire Day, Doctor Who, community, cultural events, sci-fi drama, futures, memories, bluedot festival, Manchester Central Library, National Lottery Heritage Fund

Takeaways

There's a strong sense of community at Delia Derbyshire Day.

Memorable experiences can shape our understanding of cultural events.

Doctor Who serves as a platform for discussing societal issues.

Community events can create lasting memories.

Collaboration is key in developing and delivering Delia Derbyshire Day events.

Music

- Intro, Did you know? & outro music by Caro C

- Door to Door by Delia Derbyshire

- Liquid Energy by Delia Derbyshire, Brian Hodgson & Don Harper (Electrosonic Album)

Acknowledgements
This podcast series was designed by our trustees and our wonderful team of younger volunteers for 2025. We want to present a range of voices and perspectives so we have a variety of hosts and guests who are involved with our work. We also want to keep it fun and accessible, so have kept the conversations around 20 minutes long and inserted quirky segments like ‘Did you know?’ and Delia’s Dessert Discs. This series was produced by our 2025 volunteers and Caro C with thanks to funding support from National Lottery Heritage Fund. Podcast theme and 'Did you know?' segment music created by Caro C featuring sounds from the BBC Radiophonic Workshop virtual instrument by Spitfire Audio.

And finally, thank you to Delia for being an inspiration.

Please like, share, leave a review and subscribe if you enjoy it…thank you for listening!

Summary

This conversation explores the education work we design and deliver at Delia Derbyshire Day. Inspired by Delia's music, working methods and life, kids (of all ages!) learn about electronic music and how to make music the Delia Derbyshire Day way. Openness is key to this work as we encourage risk-taking, base composition around more than culturally bound pitch and rhythm, and make sure all can take part in making music regardless of musical education/training. We discuss the expressive potential of electronic music, emphasising the importance of creativity in music production. We encourage participants to experiment with sound and build atmospheres without relying on traditional instruments or expensive gear.

Keywords

electronic music, workshops, creativity, sound design, storytelling, rhythm, atmosphere, imagination, music production

Takeaways

Electronic music can be as tactile and expressive as a live instrument.

Workshops focus on using sound and music to tell a story.

Participants are encouraged to deconstruct sounds they hear.

Building atmosphere and rhythm can be done without traditional instruments.

Fancy gear is not necessary to make music.

Encouraging creativity is central to the workshops.

Sound experimentation and creativity are key to our approach to music composition and production.

The workshops aim to inspire confidence in music-making.

Chapters

00:12 Intro

00:40 Special segment – our 2025 volunteers visit the archives

03:49: My guests, context about the Delia Derbyshire archive

08:30 Why archives sit within these institutions and preservation for future generations

10:01 Materials in the Delia Derbyshire archive

14:22 Delia Derbyshire Day archive

15:56 How Delia Derbyshire Day has increased access to Delia Derbyshire archive

16:53 Stand out items from Delia Derbyshire and Delia Derbyshire Day archives

19:57 Music makers archiving their work

22:27 Delia Dessert Discs

24:09 Outro

Summary

This conversation delves into the archive of Delia Derbyshire, a pioneering figure in electronic music, and the challenges faced in preserving her extensive body of work. It highlights the Delia Derbyshire and Delia Derbyshire Day archives, exploring the content and importance of this heritage collection. The key value here guiding us is curiosity. With special segments Delia's Dessert Discs and our 2025 team of volunteers describing their visit to the archives.

Host Charlie Linton (2023 volunteer, archivist) explores the heritage connected with Delia Derbyshire Day with guests Jess Smith (archivist and curator at John Rylands Library, Manchester, England) and Mark Ayres (composer,BBC Radiophonic Workshop archivist, trustee for Delia Derbyshire Day).

Takeaways

The physical storage of Delia's archive collection included unconventional items like cereal boxes.

Labels on tapes deteriorated, complicating the preservation process.

Understanding the contents of the boxes required significant effort.

The archival process is as much about discovery as it is about preservation.

Delia's creative process involved a lot of experimentation and iteration.

The importance of proper labelling in archival work.

Many of Delia's recordings were works in progress, not final products.

The conversation sheds light on the broader implications of audio preservation.

Preserving audio history is important for understanding the evolution of music.

Keywords

Delia Derbyshire, Delia Derbyshire Day, BBC, sound preservation, audio restoration, archival work, music history, electronic music, tape preservation, audio labels, creative process

Chapters

00:12 Intro

00:40 Special segment – our 2025 volunteers visit the archives

03:49: My guests, context about the Delia Derbyshire archive

08:30 Why archives sit within these institutions and preservation for future generations

10:01 Materials in the Delia Derbyshire archive

14:22 Delia Derbyshire Day archive

15:56 How Delia Derbyshire Day has increased access to Delia Derbyshire archive

16:53 Stand out items from Delia Derbyshire and Delia Derbyshire Day archives

19:57 Music makers archiving their work

21:28 Delia's Dessert Discs

24:09 Outro

Acknowledgements
This podcast series was designed by our trustees and our wonderful team of younger volunteers for 2025. We want to present a range of voices and perspectives so we have a variety of hosts and guests who are involved with our work. We also want to keep it fun and accessible, so have kept the conversations around 20 minutes long and inserted quirky segments like ‘Did you know?’ and Delia’s Dessert Discs. This series was produced by our 2025 volunteers and Caro C with thanks to funding support from National Lottery Heritage Fund. Podcast theme and 'Did you know?' segment music created by Caro C featuring sounds from the BBC Radiophonic Workshop virtual instrument by Spitfire Audio.

And finally, thank you to Delia for being an inspiration.

Please like, share, leave a review and subscribe if you enjoy it…thank you for listening!

Summary

This podcast explores the life and legacy of Delia Derbyshire, a pioneering figure in electronic music known for her work at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop and her innovative sound design techniques. The conversation delves into her early influences, the intersection of music and mathematics, her creative methods, and her impactful years in Cumbria. Guests David Vorhaus and Suzy Mangion share insights into Delia's work and their personal connections to her music, culminating in a discussion of their favourite pieces in our Delia's Dessert Discs segment.

Host Sashwati Mira Sengupta explores Delia’s creative approaches and work with guests Suzy Mangion (2021 and 2025 commissioned artist) and David Vorhaus (part of White Noise band wiht Delia and Brian Hodgson).

Chapters

00:00 Introduction
00:54 Did you know?
01:40 Introducing guests

02:38 Delia's Early Influences and Education

05:33 The Intersection of Music and Mathematics

08:53 Innovations at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop

11:45 Delia's Creative Methods and Limitations

14:41 Exploring Delia's Cumbria Years

17:34 Delia's Dessert Discs - Favourite Works and Lasting Impact
23:55 Outro

Takeaways

Delia Derbyshire was a pioneer in electronic music long before modern technology.

Her early experiences and education in music and mathematics shaped her unique approach to sound.

Delia's work at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop was groundbreaking, creating over 200 pieces for radio and TV.

She was a master of tape manipulation and found sound, often using unconventional methods to create music.

Delia's creativity thrived even after leaving the BBC, particularly during her years in Cumbria.

Her influence continues to inspire contemporary artists and musicians.

The limitations of technology often fueled Delia's creativity, leading to innovative solutions.

Delia's legacy is not just in her famous works but also in her collaborative spirit and mentorship.

Her work reflects a deep understanding of the relationship between sound and the human experience.

Delia's music remains relevant and continues to be rediscovered by new generations of artists.

Acknowledgements
This podcast series was designed by our trustees and our wonderful team of younger volunteers for 2025. We want to present a range of voices and perspectives so we have a variety of hosts and guests who are involved with our work. We also want to keep it fun and accessible, so have kept the conversations around 20 minutes long and inserted quirky segments like ‘Did you know?’ and Delia’s Dessert Discs. This series was produced by our 2025 volunteers and Caro C with thanks to funding support from National Lottery Heritage Fund. Podcast theme and 'Did you know?' segment music created by Caro C featuring sounds from the BBC Radiophonic Workshop virtual instrument by Spitfire Audio.

And finally, thank you to Delia for being an inspiration.

Please like, share, leave a review and subscribe if you enjoy it…thank you for listening!

Summary
This podcast episode celebrates the legacy of Delia Derbyshire, a pioneer of electronic music, through the work of Delia Derbyshire Day. The conversation explores the charity's mission to empower creativity, future generations, and promote women in electronic music. The speakers discuss the significance of what the main activities and aims of Delia Derbyshire Day are, why it exists, how it all started, Delia's archive, the impact of their community engagement, and the values that guide their future endeavours.

Host Sashwati Mira Sengupta (DD Day trustee) with guests David Butler (Chair of Trustees) and Caro C (DD Day instigator and manager).

Chapters
Intro
Segment: Did you know?
02:36 What Delia Derbyshire Day is
05:43 Engaging with the Archive
08:34 Inspiring Future Generations
11:26 Delia Derbyshire Day's Objectives
14:45 Values Guiding the Future
17:37 Delia's Musical Influence
Segment: Delia's Dessert Discs
Outro

Takeaways
Delia Derbyshire was a pioneer of electronic music.
Delia Derbyshire Day celebrates its 10th anniversary.
The charity aims to empower creativity through Delia's legacy.
Engaging with the archive inspires future artists.
The organisation focuses on women and gender minorities in music, mainly based in North West England.
Community involvement is key to their mission.
Delia's work is a rich source of inspiration and education.
The archive is open for public access and engagement.
The charity aims to document a wider range of people in heritage today.
Delia's ethos of creativity and collaboration guides their work.

Acknowledgements
This podcast series was designed by our trustees and our wonderful team of younger volunteers for 2025. We want to present a range of voices and perspectives so we have a variety of hosts and guests who are involved with our work. We also want to keep it fun and accessible, so have kept the conversations around 20 minutes long and inserted quirky segments like ‘Did you know?’ and Delia’s Dessert Discs. This series was produced by our 2025 volunteers and Caro C with thanks to funding support from National Lottery Heritage Fund. Podcast theme and 'Did you know?' segment music created by Caro C featuring sounds from the BBC Radiophonic Workshop virtual instrument by Spitfire Audio.

And finally, much respect and thanks to Delia for being an inspiration.

Please like, leave a review, comment and share to help us grow. Thank you.