The future of Radio 3 Drama, Mäkelä’s rapid rise, and the Leeds Competition’s transformation
End of an era at The Leeds
News that Leeds Piano Competition Artistic Director Adam Gatehouse is to step down after nearly ten years running the competition highlights how quickly time passes. The evolution of the competition in that time is considerable. Gone is the mystery, the stuffiness, and the intensity. In its place is a competition that feels far more welcoming, stretching its arms wider and giving both its competitors and audience a much warmer hug.
At the same time, it’s celebrated its legacy rather than abandoning it, navigating the fine line between preservation and innovation. Its coverage is wider, there’s more transparency with earlier rounds made available to stream, and its activities stretch further into the local community too. It feels more of Leeds rather than simply being in it. Much of this is down to Gatehouse and surely a reflection of his leadership style – considerable knowledge and experience gained from a long career in classical music combined with a likeability and openness. His sincerity and integrity, evident in his 2018 appearance on the Thoroughly Good Classical Music Podcast with Fran Wilson, does much to shape the perception of the Leeds brand. He steps down from his role in Spring 2025.
Radio 3 Drama on the chopping block?
BBC Radio 3 looks set to cut its drama slot next year. Speculation of the hour long drama slots demise have surfaced since the BBC have suspended commissions for next year. Industry insiders fear it will be ditched ‘quietly’. The Radio 3 Drama slot didn’t feature in the most recent schedule change announcements. Yet in Controller Sam Jackson’s recent Feedback appearance responding the audience comments, he pointed to Radio 3 Drama as something listeners enjoyed and kept coming back for. If it is cut, who or what will the extra hour be assigned to? It surely won’t be speech (most of that has shifted to Radio 4). It’s disappearance will confirm that the strategy is to make Radio 3 music only, a move that is at odds with the rich blend of arts programming that has historically set it apart.
Mäkelä Sells
Conductor Klaus Mäkelä is getting some commentators hot under the collar this week. The 28 year old is chief conductor for Oslo Philharmonic and Music Director of the Orchestra de Paris. He takes on the Chief Conductor role at the Royal Concertgebouw in late 2027 and starts as Music Director of the Chicago Symphony. He is in demand, yet concerned onlookers say this is too much, that he lacks the necessary experience, and that the hype is inflated. The unintended consequence is that orchestras and audiences miss out on meaningful performances of the kind expected from these brands; other talent misses out on a top job too.
Mäkelä promises star appeal. He’s youthful, charismatic, and energetic and from a marketing perspective gives classical’s image a shot in the arm. It’s a package that can sell tickets to those beyond the cognascenti with their notebooks. While his star appeal may bring fresh energy to the classical’s live sector, it highlights the tension between the influence that marketing might have on decision-making and the deeper artistic expectations of some members of the audience. How to balance the two?
