Delia Derbyshire Day 2013 was the first of its kind - a day that celebrated and highlighted the fascinating work of Delia Derbyshire (1937-2001), the pioneering electronic music composer most famous for realising the original Dr Who theme and her work for the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. It took place at Manchester’s music venue Band on the Wall. 2013 is the Dr Who 50th Anniversary and therefore of Delia Derbyshire’s iconic original theme and this event launched the celebrations. A feature on DD Day broadcast on BBC 4′s The Today Programme Listen here. 
DAYTIME 3-6pm: Mini Symposium
The afternoon Mini Symposium was dedicated to honouring and exploring the pioneering electronic music of Delia Derbyshire.
3-4pm: Film Screening of ‘The Delia Mode’ by Kara Blake. A special screening of the award-winning documentary The Delian Mode with the Canadian film director Kara Blake present to introduce and discuss the work in person.
4-5pm: Panel Discussion
A panel discussion with esteemed Delia Derbyshire experts:
- Mark Ayres (Composer and BBC Radiophonic Workshop archivist). Mark represents the Delia Derbyshire’s estate and was bequeathed her archive following her death before donating it to the University of Manchester.
- David Butler (Senior Lecturer in Screen Studies, the University of Manchester). David helped bring the archives to the University of Manchester and is wealth of knowledge on Delia’s work.
- James Percival is studying MA Musicology at University of Manchester and is focusing his dissertation on Delia Derbyshire’s Creative Process
- Kara Blake is director of The Delian Mode also undertook extensive research and interviews about Delia and her life and work.
(Teresa Winter, who is currently undertaking a PHD at the University of York, specifically researching Delia’s creative processes, was unable to attend due to illness and James Percival kindly stepped in to be on the panel).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJWjoQtzWCk
5-6pm: Archive Sharing & Listening Session with David Butler & Delia Darlings
Caro C, Naomi Kashiwagi and Ailís Ní Ríain (Delia Darlings) introduced and played audio from the archive that have inspired each of their three new music works.
Naomi’s selection:
Dance from Noah (make up tape) – Released 1971
Dance from Noah (final version) – Released 1971
Amor Dei (A Vision of God) – 1964
Tutankarmun’s Egypt- Broadcast 1972
Ailís’s Selection:
Falling (From The Dreams) – 1964
Pot au Feu - Released 1971
Caro’s Selection
Blue Veils and Golden Sands (make up take) – Broadcast 1967
Bread
EVENING 8pm Concert by Delia Darlings
The premiere of three newly commissioned works inspired by the work of Delia Derbyshire by a trio of Manchester based new music artists Caro C, Naomi Kashiwagi and Ailís Ní Ríain who are the producers behind this unique venture as Delia Darlings. Delia Darlings are a female trio of Manchester based artists working in music and sound paying sonic homage to Delia Derbyshire having spent time by special arrangement with her archives at the University of Manchester and John Rylands Library in Manchester.
Caro C performing her new work Audient, My dear
with live visual accompaniment courtesy of Kara Blake
Naomi Kashiwagi performing her new work The Blues (Gramophonica Remix)
Brendan Ball & Heather Bird performing Ailís Ní Ríain’s new work The Consequences of Falling
An abundance of thanks again to our funding supporters: Arts Council England, PRS for Music Foundation and Quebec Arts Council.
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