Alexandra Wood caught up with composer Dobrinka Tabakova in the fourth of her 'Lockdown chats', reminiscing on performing 'Centuries of Meditations' in our Cathedrals Tour last October. Dobrinka also gives a glimpse into the life of a composer and talks about how it's changed in lockdown.

Featuring an excerpt of 'Centuries of Meditations' by Dobrinka Tabakova. http://www.dobrinka.com

Performed by City of London Sinfonia and Truro Cathedral Choir, conducted by Christopher Gray. https://www.trurocathedral.org.uk

Recorded live by BBC Radio 3 in 'The Fruit of Silence' at Truro Cathedral on 17 October 2019 (broadcast on 29 October). http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3

Credit excerpts: 'The Lark Ascending' (Vaughan Williams), performed by Alexandra Wood in 'Comfortable Classical at Home' episode three on Facebook.

In the third of her 'Lockdown chats', Alexandra Wood talks to Joely Koos (Co-Principal Cello) about what it's like preparing for her Comfortable Classical at Home episodes live on Facebook and being able to spend more time with her family during lockdown.

You can watch Joely's Comfortable Classical at Home episodes on City of London Sinfonia's Facebook playlist: http://bit.ly/clsccahfb

Credit excerpts: 'The Lark Ascending' (Vaughan Williams), performed by Alexandra Wood in 'Comfortable Classical at Home' episode three on Facebook.

Alexandra Wood talks to Co-Principal Horn Mark Paine in the second of her 'Lockdown chats'. Mark would usually be performing in all the operas in the Opera Holland Park Season in May-August, so Alex caught up with him to see what he's missing about it during lockdown.

Credit excerpts: 'The Lark Ascending' (Vaughan Williams), performed by Alexandra Wood in 'Comfortable Classical at Home' episode three on Facebook.

In the first of her 'Lockdown chats', Leader and Creative Director Alexandra Wood talks to singer and composer Roderick Williams OBE about what he's missing and filling his time with during lockdown.

Credit excerpts: 'The Lark Ascending' (Vaughan Williams), performed by Alexandra Wood in 'Comfortable Classical at Home' episode three on Facebook.

Ruth Padel talks to Arna Margrét Jónsdóttir (Marketing Assistant) and Elaine Baines (Chief Operating Officer) about her original poem, based on the frame story of 'One Thousand and One Nights', written specially for 'Scheherazade: A retelling for our times' at Southbank Centre's Queen Elizabeth Hall on 1 December 2019.

Hosted by Arna Margrét Jónsdóttir.

Recorded and edited in November 2019.

Hanan al-Shaykh talks to Arna Margrét Jónsdóttir (Marketing Assistant) and Elaine Baines (Chief Operating Officer) about her relationship with the stories of 'One Thousand and One Nights' and her role in 'Scheherazade: A retelling for our times' at Southbank Centre's Queen Elizabeth Hall on 1 December 2019.

Hosted by Arna Margrét Jónsdóttir.

Recorded and edited in November 2019.

On Friday 3 May 2019, international recorder virtuoso Genevieve Lacey performs with City of London Sinfonia in ‘Absolute Bird: Sounds of the Outback’ at Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall. Here’s what she had to say ahead of our performance.

#AbsoluteBird: bit.ly/absolutebird

CEO Matthew Swann talks about all things birdsong and nature, and how composers from all periods have been fascinated by it, including Hollis Taylor—whose music our Absolute Bird series is named after.

View Absolute Bird series: http://bit.ly/absolutebird

> 3 May, Sounds of the Outback

> 15 May, Flocks of Europe

> 24 May, Translating Nature

Image: Pied butcherbird by Hollis Taylor

Our participation team chats about our spring projects and how we're using the repertoire and themes of our Absolute Bird series (London, May 2019) to create shared musical experiences in wellbeing and education settings.

Featuring Fiona Lambert (Director of Participation), Fiona Johnstone (Participation Projects Manager) and Natasha Allery (Marketing and Audiences Officer). Recorded on 11 March 2019 at the CLS Office.

Our participation team chats about our spring projects and how we're using the repertoire and themes of our Absolute Bird series (London, May 2019) to create shared musical experiences in wellbeing and education settings.

Featuring Fiona Lambert (Director of Participation), Fiona Johnstone (Participation Projects Manager) and Natasha Allery (Marketing and Audiences Officer). Recorded on 11 March 2019 at the CLS Office.