The London concert venue is broadcasting performances every weekday in June on BBC Radio 3 and on radio stations across Europe

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Pianist Stephen Hough perfoms at Wimore Hall for BBC Radio 3 © Doug Peters/PA Wire

Radio stations across Europe are joining BBC Radio 3 in broadcasting Live Lunchtime Concerts from London’s Wigmore Hall throughout June. The performances take place every weekday without an audience present and in respect of social distancing measures for all artists and staff.

The recitals are part of the cross-platform BBC Culture in Quarantine initiative, ’bringing arts and culture to people’s homes during these uncertain times of isolation’ on the station’s radio, television and online channels.

The first BBC Radio 3 broadcast recital from Wigmore Hall was given by British pianist Stephen Hough on Monday 1 June and shared through the European Broadcasting Union in Sweden (Swedish Radio), Italy (RAI), the Netherlands (NPO), Austria (ORF), Lithuania (LRT), Denmark (Danish Radio), and Poland (Polish Radio). 

Read: Live music returns to Wigmore Hall
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Further performances this month will feature artists including violinists Hyeyoon Park, Alina Ibragimova and Benjamin Baker, violist Timothy Ridout, and cellists Steven Isserlis and Guy Johnston. 

’It is a huge joy to work with BBC Radio 3,’ said John Gilhooly, artistic and executive director of Wigmore Hall. ’This series is meant to be a glimmer of hope for live music making and part of the beginning of the return to the platform of some of the greatest triumphs of human creativity and imagination. Musicians and audiences long for live music making again. Bit by bit we will get there with our public back in better times.’