Radiophonic Workshop at the Science Museum

To mark six months since the opening of Mathematics: The Winton Gallery, the Science Museum is to host a unique performance of The Radiophonic Workshop exploring the mathematical side of electronic music, as the pioneering synth musicians launch their first studio album in 32 years.

Ticket-holders will be able to explore Mathematics: The Winton Gallery, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects at an exclusive late opening of the gallery. The new gallery illuminates the maths behind the objects that have helped build the modern world and the stories behind these ground-breaking inventions.

Attendees will be able to take part in an on-stage interview with the Radiophonic Workshop hosted by Dr.Tim Boon – the Science Museum’s Head of Research and Public History - focusing on the role of maths in electronic music and the science of sound.

After the interview there will be a live performance in the Museum’s IMAX Theatre of the Workshop’s new material and much-loved classics from their back-catalogue, including their iconic soundtracks for Doctor Who and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
The Radiophonic Workshop was established as the BBC sound unit in 1958 in response to a growing demand for synthetic soundscapes for television.

Over the course of 40 years the Workshop would go onto to push the boundaries of electronica and its influence on pop culture and technology has been far-reaching. One of the founding members, Daphne Oram, was the first woman to design an electronic music instrument and went on to invent the Oramics Machine – previously displayed at the museum as part of exhibition ‘Oramics to Electronica’. The Workshop would also go on to inspire artists including The Beatles and re-define attitudes towards synthetic music.

Since 2014 the Workshop has experienced a modern renaissance, appearing at contemporary music festivals all over the UK, from End of The Road to Bestival and Glastonbury. The Workshop’s new album will undoubtedly reinforce their cross-generational appeal as they inspire younger fans to explore the origins of electronica.

The album launch will also mark what would have been the 80th birthday of the late Delia Derbyshire, one of the Workshop’s most famous members, with a unique musical tribute.