Music Workshop
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 the normal Music Workshop series, expanded to ages 8-10, was renamed Music Workshop Stage One, and a new series of Music Workshop Stage Two for 10-12 year-olds was introduced.
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 (well, half an hour for Stage One and half an hour for Stage Two) 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.
The series is still very popular, 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.
Meanwhile you can read more happy memories of the 1960s and 70s broadcasts on the Light Straw: Faded Notes 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?
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
|
| Stage One | Stage Two | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Autumn | Spring | Summer | Autumn | Spring | Summer | |
| 1966-67 | Autumn 1966Dagobert the Dachshund
|
Spring 1967The Big Top
|
Summer 1967Hugo's Haunt
|
Autumn 1966My Idea
|
Spring 1967Baldy Bane
|
Summer 1967The Truthful Transistor
| |
| 1967-68 | Autumn 1967Don Carlos the Brave
|
Spring 1968Three O'Clock Grandad
|
Summer 1968The Island People
|
Autumn 1967My Idea
|
Spring 1968Baldy Bane
|
Summer 1968The Truthful Transistor
| |
| 1968-69 | Autumn 1968Don Carlos the Brave
|
Spring 1969Three O'Clock Grandad
|
Summer 1969The Island People
|
Autumn 1968December Fair
|
Spring 1969Twm Shon Cati
|
Summer 1969Konrad of the Mountains
| |
| 1969-70 | Autumn 1969Aladdin
|
Spring 1970The Bluebird Line
|
Summer 1970The Violin-Maker
|
Autumn 1969December Fair
|
Spring 1970Twm Shon Cati
|
Summer 1970Konrad of the Mountains
| |
| 1970-71 | Autumn 1970Chockerbox
|
Spring 1971The Wild West
|
Summer 1971The Tree
|
Autumn 1970Mutiny on the Cutty Sark
|
Spring 1971The Penine Way
|
Summer 1971Another Shore
| |
| 1971-72 | Autumn 1971Aladdin
|
Spring 1972The Bluebird Line
|
Summer 1972The Violin-Maker
|
Autumn 1971America Latina
|
Spring 1972Paris Under Gaslight
|
Summer 1972Hagoromo
| |
| 1972-73 | Autumn 1972Alice
|
Spring 1973Aesop
|
Summer 1973Colour Me Cornwall
|
Autumn 1972Mutiny on the Cutty Sark
|
Spring 1973The Penine Way
|
Summer 1973Another Shore
| |
| 1973-74 | Autumn 1973Chockerbox
|
Spring 1974The Wild West
|
Summer 1974The Tree
|
Autumn 1973Taliesin
|
Spring 1974Kirsty Mhor
|
Summer 1974The Horse Trough
| |
| 1974-75 | Autumn 1974Journey Through Badlidrempt
|
Spring 1975Nonsense / Songs of Stephen Foster
|
Summer 1975Rainbow Snake
|
Autumn 1974America Latina
|
Spring 1975Paris Under Gaslight
|
Summer 1975Hagoromo
| |
| Year | Autumn | Spring | Summer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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, a Story of Robin Hood
|
| 1982-83 | Autumn 1982Queen Beryl and the Romans, or I Came, I Saw, I Made a Mess of It…
|
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, a Story of Robin Hood
|
| 1984-85 | Autumn 1984Queen Beryl and the Romans, or I Came, I Saw, I Made a Mess of It…
|
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, or Missing from Homer
|
| 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, or Missing from Homer
|
| 1989-90 | Autumn 1989Aladdin, or The Laddy with the Lamp
|
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 / Summer Extras
|
| 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
|
| 1999-00 | 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
|
| 2015-16 | Autumn 2015(no broadcast) | Spring 2016Macbeth
|
Summer 2016(no broadcast) |
| 2016-17 | Autumn 2016(no broadcast) | Spring 2017Macbeth
|
Summer 2017(no broadcast) |
| 2017-18 | Autumn 2017(no broadcast) | Spring 2018Macbeth
|
Summer 2018(no broadcast) |
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.
- Faded Notes: 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
More
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| Miscellany |
- Pages using DynamicPageList parser function
- Programmes