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BBC Radio 3 is a radio channel that started transmitting on the 30th September 1967. It replaced Third Programme.

BBC Radio 3

Radio 3

The Essay Podcast

The Essay

Discussion & Talk

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.

Leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond, themed across a week - insight, opinion and intellectual surprise.

The Essay: When Writers Play (Series 2)

The Essay: When Writers Play (Series 2): Episode 3: Louise Doughty

Louise Doughty

Episode 3

Episode 3: Louise Doughty

When Writers Play (Series 2)

BBC Radio 3 - The Essay, When Writers Play (Series 2), Louise DoughtyClose menu

Louise Doughty on how playing the piano later in life presented new challenges.

Novelist Louise Doughty explains how playing the piano later in life presented new challenges.

Music might feature in the work of many writers, but do many writers play an instrument? Quite a few do, and this essay series charts five writers with musical 'careers'. Here is a bit of autobiography, telling listeners how they started out, their inspirations, their memorable performances and how playing relates to their lives as writers. 

And they are keen to demonstrate their musical talents, which you can hear at the end of each essay! 

Novelist and journalist Louise Doughty has taken up the piano later in life, in fact only last year. So how will learning to play now be different from learning as a child?

Live music and the arts: broadcasts more live music than any other radio network. Classical music is its core. Genres include world and new music, jazz, speech and drama.

Documentaries

Factual: Life Stories

Music: Classical

Five writers describe their passions and possibly talents for playing a musical instrument

Five writers describe their passions and possibly their talents for playing a musical instrument

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The Essay

When Writers Play (Series 2)

Episode 3: Louise Doughty

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