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Front Row: Francois Ozon's Summer of '85; Acclaimed violinist Tasmin Little; Derry International Choir Festival

Choirs adapting - Derry International Choir Festival goes online and the Rock Choir unite virtual for a Christmas single

Francois Ozon's Summer of '85; Acclaimed violinist Tasmin Little; Derry International Choir Festival

BBC Radio 4 - Front Row, Francois Ozon's Summer of '85; Acclaimed violinist Tasmin Little; Derry International Choir Festival

Violinist Tasmin Little, Derry International Choir Festival, Review of Summer of '85.

Violinist Tasmin Little retires from the stage; Hope for choral singing as Derry International Choir Festival goes online and Rock choir continues virtually; Summer of '85 reviewed.

Acclaimed violinist Tasmin Little announced her retirement from the stage recently. The musician is selling her beloved violin to focus on teaching. She will perform her final UK recital at London's Royal Festival Hall tomorrow night. We talk to her about her career, why she took the decision to retire now and her plans for the future.

Covid has had a huge impact on choral singing with choirs having to cease singing in the same space and many moving online. As Derry International Choir Festival opens, online, and the Rock Choir announce a christmas single, recorded virtually, we ask how can they reimagine their role and traditions, and how might they sing together again?

Directed by Francois Ozon and adapted from the novel Dance on my Grave by English author Aidan Chambers, Summer of 85’ is a story of friendship and love between two teenage boys at a seaside resort in Normandy in the mid-1980s. When 16-year-old Alexis capsizes off the coast of Le Tréport, 18-year-old David heroically saves him. Alexis thinks he’s just met the friend of his dreams. But will the dream last more than one summer? Caspar Salmon reviews.

Presenter: Kirsty Lang 
Producer: Simon Richardson

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