CBC’s Paolo Pietropaolo, the host of CBC Radio 2’s IN CONCERT, has won a prestigious Prix Italia Award for The Signature Series. Co-produced by Paolo and Denise Ball, The Signature Series won in the radio music category: Programmes about Music.
Pietropaolo, also the series producer, said after learning of his victory, “This is such an enormous thrill. I’ve always believed that classical music is most of all a visceral experience. It can make your heart pound. It can make your heart soar. It’s not about formalities or a hushed concert hall; at its best, all music touches the essence of what makes us human. That’s what this series is about, and it’s wonderful to have confirmation that this kind of exploration of music is valued.”
The Signature Series is revolutionizing classical music radio, attracting thousands of followers from around the world. Listeners, from amateur music fans to professional music teachers, are raving about how it’s helped them (or their students) appreciate classical music as never before.
Over the centuries, many composers of western classical music have sworn that each key has its own personality. The key signatures of music are kind of like the signs of the zodiac: If you take all the music in a given key, you’ll discover certain characteristics—characteristics that can define its personality.
Each chapter in this series brings that personality to life, creating full-fledged fictional characters with rich life stories. Each portrait is about five minutes long, and each key’s story is tied together by the most famous melodies composed in that key over the centuries, expertly woven together into a new musical journey.
Mark Steinmetz, director of music programming for CBC, said after the victory, “As soon as Paolo’s Signature Series went to air and was featured online, the response from the audience was overwhelming. This was obviously a hit. If you love music and have wondered what the key signatures of music mean, The Signature Series is essential listening. Each short segment is beautifully crafted audio that leaves you wanting more.”
Prix Italia is a prestigious international prize for radio, TV and online programmes. More than 90 public and private broadcasters from five continents compete in the competition, and the prize has been awarded annually since its founding in Capri in 1948. CBC has not won this award since 2005, but did have an honourable mention last year.
The competition awards 14 prizes annually: six for radio, six for TV and two for web programming.The Signature Series was designed for CBC’s music platform CBCMusic.ca, as well as CBC Radio 2. To learn more about the series and to listen to all 20 episodes of The Signature Series, please visit CBCMusic.ca. Tune in to CBC Radio 2’s In Concert Sundays from 11 a.m./11:30 NT to hear additional episodes in this continuing series
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Dayna Shiskos, publicist, CBC
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