Sharing Heritage
Delia Derbyshire (1937-2001) was a pioneering electronic music composer who is best known for arranging the original theme music for Doctor Who.
Four schools and over 40 school children in Coventry were an integral part of the project. The young people explored Delia’s life and work, as well as the music and musicians that influenced her. They also explored techniques used to create her music and sonic palette, and made their own creations. Recordings made during the school sessions were used as the base material for a celebratory performance at Coventry Cathedral.
The project created a documentary about Delia featuring artists who worked with her, musical performances, archival clips and footage from the school visits.
The project culminated with an event at Coventry Cathedral in May 2017, on what would have been Delia’s 80th birthday. The event was attended by 466 people, including pupils who had taken part in the school sessions. It introduced people to Delia’s ground-breaking work and her legacy with performances and a screening of the film and soundtrack.
An attendee at the event said: "Seriously, this was excellent. A round of applause to all involved from a longtime Delia fan."
Another visitor said: "A fitting homage to a musical pioneer."
The event has now become part of an annual celebration of Delia Derbyshire in Coventry, a former UK City of Culture.
