Composed looks into Hynes’ inspirations, classical and beyond.
Devonté Hynes – AKA Blood Orange – has revealed Composed, a new 12-part series on classical music.
The first three episodes are available to stream via BBC Sounds, with each episode of the weekly series placing a different strand of classical music in focus, alongside discussions about what is and is not considered classical music.
Speaking about the new series, Philip Raperport, Commissioning Executive for BBC Radio 3 and BBC Sounds said: “Too often, classical music is at risk of being pigeon-holed, despite the incredible diversity that the genre offers. We wanted to provide audiences with a new kind of classical listening experience, one that showcases how artists across the musical spectrum have identified with and been inspired by classical. We are so thrilled that Devonté Hynes, one of the most exciting musicians working in the industry today, is leading on this and we can’t wait for listeners to dive into Dev’s world.”
Hynes, meanwhile, said: “I am honoured to present this series dedicated to my influences within the classical world. I hope people will enjoy how wide a genre it is, and discover artists, lots of whom are still active, who I feel deserve a lot more attention than is given, enjoy.”
The show’s release coincides with Hynes’ upcoming performances at Barbican alongside the London Symphony Orchestra.
Listen to the first three episodes of Composed here and revisit the Blood Orange cover story.