Music Workshop

📻BBC Schools Radio

companyBBC

started23rd Sep 1964

ended26th Mar 2009

last rpt23rd Jun 2015

51 school years

episodes740

duration20 mins, 10 mins, 30 mins & 25 mins

subject 🎶Music

age rangeAge 8-10Age 7-9 & Age 9-11

languageenIn English

175 images from Music Workshop

currentsequence: ; ### size: ### Music Workshop: BBC primary musicPrevious series: Time and Tune (age 7-9)Next series: Music Workshop Stage Two

Music Workshop is a BBC schools radio series from the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s, covering music for primary school pupils.

"Most of the Music Workshop programmes have two main sections. The first teaches songs. The second adds accompaniment for classroom instruments. Between these two main sections there is a short sequence devoted to music for listening, or an extract from the term's story.

"The whole of each term is devoted to a story, developed through songs. This leads to a complete performance in the last programme of term."

- adapted from BBC Annual Programme Guides throughout the 1970s and 1980s

History

Music Workshop began in autumn 1964, replacing the earlier series Rhythm and Melody, initially for 8-9 year-olds only but this age range was gradually expanded.

In autumn 1966 Music Workshop was expaded to a two-year series for 8-10 year-olds, with the regular programmes renamed Music Workshop Stage One, and a new series of Music Workshop Stage Two supporting 9-10 year-olds. After a few years Music Workshop Stage Two was further separated to focus on older 10-12 year-olds, while Stage One continued to support 8-10 year-olds.

In autumn 1975 Music Workshop Stage Two was renamed Music Makers, and Music Workshop Stage One returned to simply being called Music Workshop.

When the series began in 1964 there were actually two broadcasts a week: a main 20 minute programme covering the songs (Music...), and a 10 minute follow-up programme on another day of the week covering classroom instrument work (...Workshop). This format continued when the series was split into Stages, so that in the late 1960s there were 4 separate Music Workshop broadcasts every week.

From autumn 1969 the two halves were brought together into a single half-hour programme with roughly the first 15 minutes devoted to the Music, and the last 15 minutes to the Workshop.

In autumn 1985 the programmes were reduced to 25 minutes, and finally in autumn 1994 down to 20 minutes.

Several of the 21st Century Music Workshop productions have been reworked with videos for the BBC School Radio website, with five complete units available freely online (one in a separate part of the BBC website from the others) including songs and accompaniments, playscript and workshop exercises, and even some videos.

The unit on Macbeth was even reworked into a new series, with the same songs but a new presenter aiming at a wider age group audience, and broadcast as Music: Key Stage 2.

Meanwhile you can read more happy memories of the 1960s and 70s broadcasts on the Fynevue website.

Episode Guide

Can't find the productions you remember here? Maybe they were from the BBC's other music radio series with drama productions, The Song Tree, Time and Tune or Music Makers?

Music Workshop Stage Two is also covered on a separate page.

If you can provide any of the missing pamphlet covers (or better quality copies of some of the dodgier ones) please get in touch by email.

Year	Autumn	Spring	Summer
1964-65	Autumn 1964The Four Friends	Spring 1965The Old Grandfather Clock	Summer 1965Our School
1965-66	Autumn 1965Dagobert the Dachshund	Spring 1966The Big Top	Summer 1966Hugo's Haunt
1966-67	Autumn 1966Dagobert the Dachshund	Spring 1967The Big Top	Summer 1967Hugo's Haunt
1967-68	Autumn 1967Don Carlos the Brave	Spring 1968Three O'Clock Grandad	Summer 1968The Island People
1968-69	Autumn 1968Don Carlos the Brave	Spring 1969Three O'Clock Grandad	Summer 1969The Island People
1969-70	Autumn 1969Aladdin (1969)	Spring 1970The Bluebird Line	Summer 1970The Violin-Maker
1970-71	Autumn 1970Chockerbox	Spring 1971The Wild West	Summer 1971The Tree
1971-72	Autumn 1971Aladdin (1969)	Spring 1972The Bluebird Line	Summer 1972The Violin-Maker
1972-73	Autumn 1972Alice	Spring 1973Aesop	Summer 1973Colour Me Cornwall
1973-74	Autumn 1973Chockerbox	Spring 1974The Wild West	Summer 1974The Tree
1974-75	Autumn 1974Journey Through Badlidrempt	Spring 1975Nonsense & Songs of Stephen Foster	Summer 1975Rainbow Snake
1975-76	Autumn 1975Alice	Spring 1976Aesop	Summer 1976Colour Me Cornwall
1976-77	Autumn 1976Nonsense & Songs of Stephen Foster	Spring 1977Journey Through Badlidrempt	Summer 1977Rainbow Snake
1977-78	Autumn 1977The Tinder Box	Spring 1978Return to Badlidrempt	Summer 1978Chaos at Crusty Towers
1978-79	Autumn 1978Rumpelstiltskin	Spring 1979Caractacus Turniptop's Space Adventure	Summer 1979Mrs Noah's Missing
1979-80	Autumn 1979The Tinder Box	Spring 1980Return to Badlidrempt	Summer 1980Chaos at Crusty Towers
1980-81	Autumn 1980Rumpelstiltskin	Spring 1981Caractacus Turniptop's Space Adventure	Summer 1981Mrs Noah's Missing
1981-82	Autumn 1981Sir Spence and a Dragon Called Horace	Spring 1982Will Wanderers Win?	Summer 1982The Bearded Bride
1982-83	Autumn 1982Queen Beryl and the Romans	Spring 1983The Montgolfiers' Famous Flying Globe	Summer 1983Brer Rabbit
1983-84	Autumn 1983Sir Spence and a Dragon Called Horace	Spring 1984Will Wanderers Win?	Summer 1984The Bearded Bride
1984-85	Autumn 1984Queen Beryl and the Romans	Spring 1985The Montgolfiers' Famous Flying Globe	Summer 1985Brer Rabbit
1985-86	Autumn 1985The Sleeping Beauty	Spring 1986Ol' Brer Rabbit Again!	Summer 1986The Great Numbers Shenanigan
1986-87	Autumn 1986Cinderella?	Spring 1987Piper's Mountain	Summer 1987An Odd Odyssey
1987-88	Autumn 1987Up the Beanstalk!	Spring 1988Bowater Merryweather and the Chemifizz Catastrophe	Summer 1988The Man in the White Hat
1988-89	Autumn 1988Cinderella?	Spring 1989Piper's Mountain	Summer 1989An Odd Odyssey
1989-90	Autumn 1989Aladdin (1989)	Spring 1990Pimlico Drudge and the Upside-Down Pyramid of Shal-Labal-La-Ding-Dong	Summer 1990The Enchanted Horse
1990-91	Autumn 1990Up the Beanstalk!	Spring 1991Bowater Merryweather and the Chemifizz Catastrophe	Summer 1991The Man in the White Hat
1991-92	Autumn 1991After Alice	Spring 1992Yanomamo	Summer 1992Roadshow
1992-93	Autumn 1992Christopher Columbus	Spring 1993Musithon!	Summer 1993Trolls
1993-94	Autumn 1993A Merrie Masque	Spring 1994Jazzamatazz	Summer 1994Down at the End of the Pier
1994-95	Autumn 1994Sherlock Holmes and the Rogues' Gallery	Spring 1995Orpheus	Summer 1995Jiving Jukeboxes
1995-96	Autumn 1995Bugsy Malone	Spring 1996Jazzamatazz	Summer 1996Down at the End of the Pier
1996-97	Autumn 1996Sherlock Holmes and the Rogues' Gallery	Spring 1997Lights, Camera... Action!	Summer 1997Jiving Jukeboxes
1997-98	Autumn 1997Bugsy Malone	Spring 1998Jazzamatazz	Summer 1998We'll Meet Again
1998-99	Autumn 1998Not Aloud	Spring 1999Lights, Camera... Action!	Summer 1999Jiving Jukeboxes
1999-2000	Autumn 1999David Copperfield	Spring 2000Bugsy Malone	Summer 2000We'll Meet Again
2000-01	Autumn 2000School Musical: Alice in Wonderl@nd	Spring 2001Lights, Camera... Action!	Summer 2001We'll Meet Again
2001-02	Autumn 2001A Midsummer Night's Dream	Spring 2002David Copperfield	Summer 2002(no broadcast)
2002-03	Autumn 2002Not Aloud	Spring 2003Lights, Camera... Action!	Summer 2003We'll Meet Again
2003-04	Autumn 2003David Copperfield	Spring 2004Macbeth	Summer 2004(no broadcast)
2004-05	Autumn 2004A Midsummer Night's Dream	Spring 2005The Tempest	Summer 2005(no broadcast)
2005-06	Autumn 2005We'll Meet Again	Spring 2006Treasure Island	Summer 2006School Musical: Alice in Wonderl@nd
2006-07	Autumn 2006Macbeth	Spring 2007Romeo and Juliet	Summer 2007A Midsummer Night's Dream
2007-08	Autumn 2007Treasure Island	Spring 2008Macbeth	Summer 2008Romeo and Juliet
2008-09	Autumn 2008(no broadcast)	Spring 2009Heroes of Troy	Summer 2009We'll Meet Again
2009-10	Autumn 2009The Tempest	Spring 2010Heroes of Troy	Summer 2010(no broadcast)
2010-11	Autumn 2010Romeo and Juliet	Spring 2011(no broadcast)	Summer 2011(no broadcast)
2011-12	Autumn 2011Treasure Island	Spring 2012Macbeth	Summer 2012(no broadcast)
2012-13	Autumn 2012The Tempest	Spring 2013(no broadcast)	Summer 2013(no broadcast)
2013-14	Autumn 2013(no broadcast)	Spring 2014(no broadcast)	Summer 2014(no broadcast)
2014-15	Autumn 2014(no broadcast)	Spring 2015(no broadcast)	Summer 2015The Tempest

Broadcasts

Year	Term	Sat	Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Channel	Details
1964-65	Aut 64, Spr 65 & Sum 65					Wednesday, 11:20am	Thursday, 11:40am		Home
1965-66	Aut 65, Spr 66 & Sum 66					Wednesday, 11:20am	Thursday, 11:40am		Home
1966-67	Aut 66, Spr 67 & Sum 67					Wednesday, 11:20am	Thursday, 11:40am		Home
1967-68	Aut 67, Spr 68 & Sum 68					Wednesday, 11:20am	Thursday, 2:30pm		Home
1968-69	Aut 68, Spr 69 & Sum 69					Wednesday, 11:20am	Thursday, 2:30pm		Radio 4
1969-70	Aut 69, Spr 70 & Sum 70				Tuesday, 11:00am				Radio 4
1970-71	Aut 70, Spr 71 & Sum 71							Friday, 9:45am	Radio 4
1971-72	Aut 71, Spr 72 & Sum 72							Friday, 9:45am	Radio 4
1972-73	Aut 72, Spr 73 & Sum 73							Friday, 9:45am	Radio 4
1973-74	Aut 73, Spr 74 & Sum 74							Friday, 10:00am	Radio 4 VHF
1974-75	Aut 74, Spr 75 & Sum 75							Friday, 10:00am	Radio 4 VHF
1975-76	Aut 75, Spr 76 & Sum 76							Friday, 10:00am	Radio 4 VHF
1976-77	Aut 76, Spr 77 & Sum 77							Friday, 10:00am	Radio 4 VHF
1977-78	Aut 77, Spr 78 & Sum 78							Friday, 10:00am	Radio 4 VHF
1978-79	Aut 78, Spr 79 & Sum 79							Friday, 10:00am	Radio 4 VHF
1979-80	Aut 79, Spr 80 & Sum 80							Friday, 10:00am	Radio 4 VHF
1980-81	Aut 80, Spr 81 & Sum 81							Friday, 10:00am	Radio 4 VHF
1981-82	Aut 81, Spr 82 & Sum 82							Friday, 11:15am	Radio 4 VHF
1982-83	Aut 82, Spr 83 & Sum 83							Friday, 11:00am	Radio 4 VHF
1983-84	Aut 83, Spr 84 & Sum 84							Friday, 11:05am	Radio 4 VHF
1984-85	Aut 84, Spr 85 & Sum 85							Friday, 11:00am	Radio 4 VHF
1985-86	Aut 85, Spr 86 & Sum 86					Wednesday, 11:00am			Radio 4 VHF
1986-87	Aut 86, Spr 87 & Sum 87							Friday, 11:35am	Radio 4 VHF
1987-88	Aut 87, Spr 88 & Sum 88							Friday, 11:35am	Radio 4 VHF
1988-89	Aut 88, Spr 89 & Sum 89							Friday, 11:35am	Radio 4 VHF
1989-90	Aut 89, Spr 90 & Sum 90							Friday, 11:35am	Radio 4 VHF
1990-91	Aut 90, Spr 91 & Sum 91	Saturday, 2:00am						Friday, 10:00am	Radio 5 / Radio 3
1991-92	Aut 91, Spr 92 & Sum 92	Saturday, 2:00am						Friday, 10:00am	Radio 5 / Radio 3
1992-93	Aut 92, Spr 93 & Sum 93	Saturday, 2:00am						Friday, 10:00am	Radio 5 / Radio 3
1993-94	Aut 93, Spr 94 & Sum 94	Saturday, 2:00am						Friday, 10:00am	Radio 5 / Radio 3	Summer, Fridays 2:40pm on Radio 3 instead
1994-95	Aut 94, Spr 95 & Sum 95						Thursday, 2:40pm		Radio 3
1995-96	Aut 95, Spr 96 & Sum 96						Thursday, 2:40pm		Radio 3
1996-97	Aut 96, Spr 97 & Sum 97							Friday, 3:00am	Radio 3
1997-98	Aut 97, Spr 98 & Sum 98							Friday, 3:00am	Radio 3
1998-99	Aut 98, Spr 99 & Sum 99							Friday, 3:00am	Radio 3	3:10am in autumn
1999-2000	Aut 99, Spr 00 & Sum 00							Friday, 3:00am	Radio 3
2000-01	Spr 01 & Sum 01						Thursday, 4:40am		Radio 3	4:10am in summer
2001-02	Aut 01 & Spr 02							Friday, 4:40am	Radio 3	4:35am in spring
2002-03	Aut 02, Spr 03 & Sum 03							Friday, 4:40am	Radio 3
2003-04	Aut 03 & Spr 04							Friday, 4:40am	Radio 4 Digital
2004-05	Aut 04 & Spr 05							Friday, 4:40am	Radio 4 Digital
2005-06	Aut 05, Spr 06 & Sum 06							Friday, 4:40am	Radio 4 Digital
2006-07	Aut 06, Spr 07 & Sum 07							Friday, 4:10am	Radio 4 Digital
2007-08	Aut 07, Spr 08 & Sum 08							Friday, 4:10am	Radio 4 Digital
2008-09	Spr 09 & Sum 09						Thursday, 3:00am		Radio 4 Digital
2009-10	Aut 09 & Spr 10					Wednesday, 3:40am			Radio 4 Digital
2010-11	Aut 10					Wednesday, 3:40am			Radio 4 Digital
2011-12	Aut 11 & Spr 12					Wednesday, 3:00am			Radio 4 Digital
2012-13	Aut 12						Thursday, 3:40am		Radio 4 Digital
2013-14	-
2014-15	Sum 15				Tuesday, 3:45am				Radio 4 Digital

Credits

Regular presenters	John Huw Davies (1964-67, 1972-77) Fergus O'Kelly (1967-74) Carolyn Robson (1977-78) Ian Humphris (1978-90) Linda Cray & Robin Samson (1991-92) Sophie Aldred & Grant Baynham (1992-94) Tim Whitnall (1995 & 2001) Carrie Grant (1999-2007) David Grant (2006-09)
Producer	William Murphy (1964-74) Douglas Coombes (1970) Peter Hutchings (1974-90) Janet Wheeler (1991-95) Barry Gibson (1995) Kate Walker (1997-2001) Ruth Chalmers (2004-09)

Links

• BBC Programmes page for Music Workshop
• Music Workshop ArchiveA fond guide to the series with clips, song titles, lots more pictures of the booklets.
• Fynevue: memories of the 60s & 70s
• Mudcat forum: Music Workshop contentsFull lists of the songs from a very great many of the units from the 1960s to the 90s

Template:BBC Primary Music

Music Workshop (1964-2009)

Music Workshop Stage One • Music Workshop Stage Two

1960s: Aladdin (1969) • Baldy Bane (1967, Stage 2) • The Big Top (1966) • Dagobert the Dachshund (1965) • December Fair (1968, Stage 2) • Don Carlos the Brave (1967) • The Four Friends (1964) • Hugo's Haunt (1966) • The Island People (1968) • Konrad of the Mountains (1969, Stage 2) • My Idea (1966, Stage 2) • The Old Grandfather Clock (1965) • Our School (1965) • Three O'Clock Grandad (1968) • The Truthful Transistor (1967, Stage 2) • Twm Shon Cati (1969, Stage 2)

1970s: Aesop (1973) • Alice (1972) • América Latina (1971, Stage 2) • Another Shore (1971, Stage 2) • The Bluebird Line (1970) • Caractacus Turniptop's Space Adventure (1979) • Chaos at Crusty Towers (1978) • Chockerbox (1970) • Colour Me Cornwall (1973) • Hagoromo (1972, Stage 2) • The Horse Trough (1974, Stage 2) • Journey Through Badlidrempt (1974) • Kirsty Mhor (1974, Stage 2) • Mrs Noah's Missing (1979) • Mutiny on the Cutty Sark (1970, Stage 2) • Nonsense (1975) • Paris Under Gaslight (1972, Stage 2) • The Pennine Way (1971, Stage 2) • Rainbow Snake (1975) • Return to Badlidrempt (1978) • Rumpelstiltskin (1978) • Songs of Stephen Foster (1975) • Taliesin (1973, Stage 2) • The Tinder Box (1977) • The Tree (1971) • The Violin-Maker (1970) • The Wild West (1971)

1980s: Aladdin (1989) • The Bearded Bride (1982) • Bowater Merryweather and the Chemifizz Catastrophe (1988) • Brer Rabbit (1983) • Cinderella? (1986) • The Great Numbers Shenanigan (1986) • The Man in the White Hat (1988-1991) • The Montgolfiers' Famous Flying Globe (1983) • An Odd Odyssey (1987) • Ol' Brer Rabbit Again! (1986) • Piper's Mountain (1987) • Queen Beryl and the Romans (1982) • Sir Spence and a Dragon Called Horace (1981) • The Sleeping Beauty (1985) • Up the Beanstalk! (1987) • Will Wanderers Win? (1982)

1990s: After Alice (1991) • Bugsy Malone (1995) • Christopher Columbus (1992) • David Copperfield (1999) • Down at the End of the Pier (1994) • The Enchanted Horse (1990) • Jazzamatazz (1994) • Jiving Jukeboxes (1995) • Lights, Camera... Action! (1997) • A Merrie Masque (1993) • Musithon! (1993) • Not Aloud (1998) • Orpheus (1995) • Pimlico Drudge and the Upside-Down Pyramid of Shal-Labal-La-Ding-Dong (1990) • Roadshow (1992) • Sherlock Holmes and the Rogues' Gallery (1994) • Trolls (1993) • We'll Meet Again (1998) • Yanomamo (1992)

2000s: Heroes of Troy (2009) • Macbeth (2004) • A Midsummer Night's Dream (2001) • Romeo and Juliet (2007) • The Tempest (2005) • Treasure Island (2006)

See Also: Music: Key Stage 2 • Music Makers • The Song Tree • Time and Tune

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Playing musical instruments

Singing

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