Encouraged by the general interest shown in the story of the Basque Children, stimulated by contacts with Geoff Lawes who amongst other things has a specialist interest in songs about the Spanish Civil War and with direct encouragement from BBC radio producer Clive Brill, Rob has been working hard over the first half of 2012 to facilitate and participate in a specially commissioned radio programme about the experiences of the first generation Basque children and their own children.
On Monday 18th June, as we were travelling back through France, the programme was broadcast. It is a beautiful and moving programme, with many enthralling personal and individual tales which, in the end, the producers asked Rob to narrate. As writer of this blog, I can say this – Rob does a brilliant job as narrator of the programme! His is a very natural and relaxed style and I wonder whether he has missed his vocation in life. The producers have done a fantastic job and really used our music to take the listeners step by step through the narrative of those interviewed on the programme.
I’m pleased to report that the programme, produced by Amanda Bruckshaw and Clive Brill has touched a very wide range of people and, over and above scores and scores of congratulatory e-mails, Rob has received some very interesting approaches with respect to linked projects going forward.
It has been an extraordinary weekend for us where two facets of our music have featured in very different contexts and circumstances, and we hope to see many interesting further steps for us emerge from both as a result.