86: David Arnold - composer and conductor

Radio Moments - Conversations

He emerged from modest roots and being a jobbing musician to become the brains and inspiration behind some of the UK’s most familiar media anthems.
In this hour of ‘Radio Moments Conversations’ David Arnold tells of his childhood hopes and dreams when he began to appreciate and study music – and about the surprise and chance of his early opportunities. As a composer, conductor, arranger and producer, he shares the story of pitching for the first Essex Radio jingle package and how it opened the door to providing station jingle packages for many of the early commercial radio stations and, for a while, the majority of BBC local radio work. He gives insight too into US jingle production, with the singers whose voices became so familiar on stations around the world He opens the lid on the thinking behind TV news themes, sig tunes such as Big Breakfast and Live and Kicking – and of his proud enduring work for Classic FM.
He tells too of intriguing jingle briefs - and about how the creative work of a composer can sometimes sit uneasily alongside the suited world of those who pay the bills.
In his own words, this is the David Arnold story.

Hear the whole ‘Radio Moments Conversations’ series here – and sign up for the podcast for this ongoing series.
Theme music for this podcast by Larry Bryant, illustrative music within from David Arnold.