Jonny Greenwood becomes the BBC's composer in residence

The BBC has made Jonny Greenwood its composer in residence, a paid post writing new orchestral music for the BBC Concert Orchestra, most of it to be broadcast on Radio 3.

All he owes the BBC is one piece. It could take him two years or six months, and it can be as short or as long as he wants³, says his manager, Bryce Edge, who calls it an incredibly flexible arrangement. In return Greenwood gets the BBC's resources, its archives and scores, and the chance to try out what he writes with the full orchestra. The post is expected to last three years, and he stays in Radiohead, fitting the BBC work around the band.

Greenwood trained as a viola player and has never studied classical composition. Roger Wright, the controller of Radio 3, did much to persuade him. The great joy about this deal is that Jonny is not a classical composer.¹ Wright wants him to experiment with the brass and strings.

He follows Anne Dudley of the Art of Noise, who won an Oscar for her score for The Full Monty. Greenwood's own film score, for Bodysong, is up for Best Original Film Score at the Ivor Novello Awards on 27 May.

The key thing for me is beginning a close relationship with an orchestra. Orchestras are very magical things.

Jonny Greenwood¹