Â鶹Éç

Back by popular demand on Radio Ulster: Sunday 18th October 2026

Available by clicking here, via Â鶹Éç Sounds for 30 days after broadcast

A celebration of imagination, storytelling and the joy of reading, this concert weaves together beloved film and television music, poetry and literary readings. Featuring music from Harry Potter, Matilda, Paddington, The Wizard of Oz and more, it brings favourite books and characters vividly to life through music and words. 

A Box of Delights - for Book Week 2022 – and beyond

"A book is a door; on the other side is somewhere else."

Jeanette Winterson

Credits

John Toal (presenter), Zeb Soanes (narrator)

Sarah Richmond (mezzo-soprano)

Neil Martin (pipes)

Julia Dearden (reader), Aoibhéann McCann (reader)

The Ulster Orchestra - Stephen Bell (conductor)

Programme

Peace Fanfare for Children – Arthur Bliss

Welcome and introduction, including New Eyes Each Year by Philip Larkin

Overture from Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves – Michael Kamen

Books Have Helped Me by Joseph Coelho

Overture from Mary Poppins – Marc Shaiman (arr. Gavin Sutherland)

I Opened A Book by Julia Donaldson

The Sprout and The Procession of Celestial Beings from The Tale of Princess Kaguya - Joe Hisaishi (arr. Graeme Stewart)

Scenes from Paddington Bear’s First Concert – Herbert Chappell Zeb Soanes(narrator)

Don’t Go Into the Library by Alberto Ríos

To the Library and Beyond from Matilda – David Newman

The Book Lovers by Frank Ormsby

All Love Can Be from A Beautiful Mind – James Horner (arr. Graeme Stewart) Sarah Richmond (mezzo-soprano) from This New Noise by Charlotte Higgins

A medley of memorable themes for the Â鶹Éç’s centenary – arr. Graeme Stewart 

from A Velocity of Being by Rebecca Solnit

Harry’s Wondrous World from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – John William

Interval

Introduction, including The River in the Sky by Clive James

The Wizard of Oz Suite – Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg (arr. Tyzik)

In a Cardiff Arcade, 1952 by Gillian Clarke

Overture from Camelot – Lerner and Lowe

from Enquiry Desk, Scottish Poetry Library by Andy Jackson

Newfoundland from The Brendan Voyage – Shaun Davey Neil Martin (Uilleann Pipes)

from Adult Fiction by Ian McMillan

Miss Marple – Ken Howard and Alan Blaikley (arr. Kenny Woodman) Miss Marple Theme – Ron Goodwin

from Why You Should Read Children’s Books by Katherine Rundell

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang – Sherman & Sherman (arr. Townend)

Jabberwocky – Paul Campbell Zeb Soanes (narrator)

from Gandalf’s letter to Frodo Baggins in The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkein

Pure Imagination from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory– Leslie Bricusse & Anthony Newley (arr. Richard Balcombe) Sarah Richmond (mezzo-soprano)

Reading the Classics by Brian Patten

Theme from Swallows and Amazons (Â鶹Éç television) – Alfred Elms

from A Velocity of Being by Andrew Solomon

Fairytale from Shrek – Harry Gregson-Williams, John Powell, Gavin Greenaway Wedding from Bridget Jones’s Baby – Craig Armstrong (arr. Graeme Stewart)

from Bookworm: A Memoir of Childhood Reading by Patricia Craig

Overture from Beauty and the Beast – Alan Menken

from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (Chapter 5: The End of It)

A Carol Symphony (3rd Mvt) – Victor Hely-Hutchinson