A land without music? – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Technical and general information from the podcast's RSS feed.

A land without music?

Sound World

Music

Arts

Frequency: 1 episode/15d. Total Eps: 20

Is our musical culture facing an existential threat? With ever smaller numbers of young people learning instruments, the gradual erasing of music from state education and years of declining funding, things may be worse than you think. Sound World investigates the state of music today and looks at what we can do to safeguard it for future generations.

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Apple

Data updated on 04/07/2026

Recent rankings

Latest chart positions across Apple Podcasts and Spotify rankings.

Apple Podcasts

🇬🇧 Great Britain - Music
20/08/2025
#74
🇬🇧 Great Britain - Music
19/08/2025
#41
🇬🇧 Great Britain - Music
18/08/2025
#37
🇬🇧 Great Britain - Music
17/08/2025
#64
🇬🇧 Great Britain - Music
16/08/2025
#96
🇬🇧 Great Britain - Music
14/11/2024
#74
🇬🇧 Great Britain - Music
08/11/2024
#72
🇬🇧 Great Britain - Music
07/11/2024
#57
🇬🇧 Great Britain - Music
06/11/2024
#50

Spotify

No recent rankings available

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

Links found in episode descriptions and other podcasts that share them.

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https://julianleeks.bandcamp.com/track/in-the-steps-of-apollo
20 shares
https://sound-world.org/
10 shares
https://sound-world.org
7 shares

https://music.apple.com/gb/album/the-grace-of-silence/1594197137?i=1594197138
7 shares
https://music.apple.com/gb/album/trombone-phrases-feat-nico-muhly/1594197137?i=1594197148
4 shares
https://music.apple.com/gb/album/april/1594197137?i=1594197143
2 shares

https://open.spotify.com/track/0OKw1hUcnaYmJSBTBEcU64?si=40a80187d86f4d3e
7 shares
https://open.spotify.com/track/1U1wikFx2Sg5UqusS6OsAv?si=3ee74c5a9e8d44bd
4 shares
https://open.spotify.com/track/49DOnnBOnXy2y29IDOI2tu?si=21234fbf2a554832
2 shares

RSS feed quality and score

Technical evaluation of the podcast's RSS feed quality and structure.

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RSS feed quality

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Score global : 68%

Publication history

Monthly episode publishing history over the past years.

Year

Latest published episodes

Recent episodes with titles, durations, and descriptions.

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The Sally Beamish Interview

Season 1 · Episode 20

Tuesday, August 12, 2025 • Duration 01:07:34

A land without music?

Today’s episode is a full length interview with a British composer whose works include symphonies, concertos and chamber pieces, but who also looks beyond the classical tradition to Celtic music and jazz. Indeed, some of those concertos feature fairly unusual solo instruments including accordion, saxophone & clàrsach.

In 2020 she composed April for Sound World’s lockdown album Reflections and, during the same period, she reached a rather different audience through her trio’s Thursday evening doorstep performances of jazz standards and pop classics.

Written and presented by Julian Leeks Produced by Sound World

Music

April by Sally Beamish (performed by Mary Barrett, Tomáš Klement and Harriet Riley). Listen on Apple Music or Spotify

In The Steps of Apollo by Julian Leeks (performed by Zelkova String Quartet). Listen here.

Beehive by Julian Leeks (Note Performer demo version recorded for our sponsors)

For more info about Sound World visit sound-world.org

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Funding The Arts

Season 1 · Episode 19

Monday, July 28, 2025 • Duration 42:25

A land without music?

In today's episode of A land without music? we’re talking about arts funding. This is particularly relevant at the moment with an ongoing government commissioned independent review into Arts Council England and one year into a new labour government, which came in to power talking about the importance of art and putting creativity at the centre of education.

But with financial black holes, low growth and high government borrowing, what are the funding realities facing arts organisations and what should we do to safeguard our precious culture.

Written and presented by Julian Leeks. Produced by Sound World

Music

The Grace of Silence by Evelyn Glennie (performed by Harriet Riley and Paul Israel). Listen on Apple Music or Spotify

In The Steps of Apollo by Julian Leeks (performed by Zelkova String Quartet). Listen here.

Beehive by Julian Leeks (Note Performer demo version recorded for our sponsors)

For more info about Sound World visit sound-world.org

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The Sadie Harrison Interview

Season 1 · Episode 18

Sunday, July 20, 2025 • Duration 01:21:18

A land without music?

Episode 18 of A land without music? is one of our bonus full-length interviews and our guest is Sadie Harrison a composer, archeologist and gardener.

Her music is wide ranging in style, embracing and engaging with the culture and folk music of places such as Afghanistan, Lithuania and The Isle of Skye. It’s known for its socio-political focus with several works challenging stereotypes of marginalised peoples.

Written and presented by Julian Leeks. Produced by Sound World

Music

Anthem by Sadie Harrison (performed by Zelkova String Quartet)

In The Steps of Apollo by Julian Leeks (performed by Zelkova String Quartet). Listen here.

Beehive by Julian Leeks (Note Performer demo version recorded for our sponsors)

For more info about Sound World visit sound-world.org

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Composers Today: crossing the divide

Season 1 · Episode 17

Monday, June 30, 2025 • Duration 36:40

A land without music?

New music is central to the survival of classical music as a vital, living art form. Without new repertoire it becomes mere history, a kind of musical museum exhibit.

In episode 15 we heard about how has classical music has to think creatively to attract and retain a new audience, Well, for contemporary music, the problem is far bigger.

With guests Jess Gillam, Dame Evelyn Glennie, Sadie Harrison, Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason, Daniel Kidane, Nico Muhly, John Pickard, Samir Savant and Jörg Widmann.

Written and presented by Julian Leeks. Produced by Sound World

Music

In The Steps of Apollo by Julian Leeks (performed by Zelkova String Quartet). Listen here.

Beehive by Julian Leeks (Note Performer demo version recorded for our sponsors)

For more info about Sound World visit sound-world.org

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The Evelyn Glennie Interview

Season 1 · Episode 16

Monday, June 16, 2025 • Duration 01:18:14

A land without music?

Today’s episode of A land without music? is another of our bonus, full length interview episodes. Our guest was the world’s first full-time solo percussionist. She’s released over 40 cds, she's won Grammys and she had a prominent role in the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympic Games.

She’s collaborated with Björk, Mark Knopfler & Underworld. And as far as we know she’s the only person in the overlapping section of the Venn diagram for people who have appeared on A land without music? and people who have appeared on Sesame St.

Written and presented by Julian Leeks. Produced by Sound World

Music

The Grace of Silence by Evelyn Glennie (performed by Harriet Riley and Paul Israel). Listen on Apple Music or Spotify

In The Steps of Apollo by Julian Leeks (performed by Zelkova String Quartet). Listen here.

Beehive by Julian Leeks (Note Performer demo version recorded for our sponsors)

For more info about Sound World visit sound-world.org

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Classical Music Today

Season 1 · Episode 15

Monday, June 2, 2025 • Duration 33:22

A land without music?

In this episode of A land without music?, we’re focusing on classical music - it’s image, how it presents itself and how it relates to the modern world.

With guests Sally Beamish, Jess Gillam, Dame Evelyn Glennie, Sadie Harrison, Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason, Daniel Kidane, Nico Muhly, Simon Opher MP, John Pickard, Samir Savant and Jörg Widmann.

Written and presented by Julian Leeks. Produced by Sound World

Music

The Grace of Silence by Evelyn Glennie (performed by Harriet Riley and Paul Israel). Listen on Apple Music or Spotify

In The Steps of Apollo by Julian Leeks (performed by Zelkova String Quartet). Listen here.

Beehive by Julian Leeks (Note Performer demo version recorded for our sponsors)

For more info about Sound World visit sound-world.org

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The Iain McGilchrist Interview Part 2

Season 1 · Episode 14

Monday, April 28, 2025 • Duration 51:37

This episode features the second half of our interview with psychiatrist, neuroscientist, literary scholar and author of The Master and His Emissary, Iain McGilchrist.

It's a wide ranging interview, reflecting Iain's exceptionally broad frame of reference, taking in the evolution of the human brain, art, music, modernism, AI, society, politics and spirituality. The first half of the interview was released on Monday 14th April.

Written and presented by Julian Leeks Produced by Sound World

To get in touch with Sound World please email info@sound-world.org or leave a post on out Facebook page SoundWorldUK.

For more info about Sound World visit sound-world.org

Music: Entwined by Julian Leeks. Listen on Apple Music or Spotify

In The Steps of Apollo by Julian Leeks (performed by Zelkova String Quartet). Listen here.

Beehive by Julian Leeks (Note Performer demo version recorded for our sponsors)

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The Iain McGilchrist Interview

Season 1 · Episode 13

Monday, April 14, 2025 • Duration 48:09

This episode features the first half of our interview with psychiatrist, neuroscientist, literary scholar and author of The Master and His Emissary, Iain McGilchrist. We’ve decide to put this out following the interview with AI researcher Peter Flach since it touches on many of the same issues, albeit from a very different perspective.

Beyond that, it's a wide ranging interview, reflecting Iain's exceptionally broad frame of reference, taking in the evolution of the human brain, art, music, modernism, society, politics and spirituality. The second half of the interview will be released on Monday 28th April.

Written and presented by Julian Leeks Produced by Sound World

To get in touch with Sound World please email info@sound-world.org or leave a post on out Facebook page SoundWorldUK.

For more info about Sound World visit sound-world.org

Music: Entwined by Julian Leeks. Listen on Apple Music or Spotify

In The Steps of Apollo by Julian Leeks (performed by Zelkova String Quartet). Listen here.

Beehive by Julian Leeks (Note Performer demo version recorded for our sponsors).

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The Peter Flach Interview

Season 1 · Episode 12

Monday, March 31, 2025 • Duration 01:16:14

This is another of our bonus episodes featuring one of the full length interviews that we recorded for the main strand of A land without music?.

Following on from our last episode in which our guests discussed various aspects of AI and technology, we’re talking to Prof. Peter Flach. For anyone trying to make sense of AI, how it works and what it might mean for us to, Peter is someone to listen to. Professor of artificial intelligence and an expert in machine learning, Peter is a knowledgable and measured voice in a field often characterised by hyperbole and hysteria.

Written and presented by Julian Leeks Produced by Sound World

Music: Trombone Phrases by Nico Muhly. Listen on Apple Music or Spotify

In The Steps of Apollo by Julian Leeks (performed by Zelkova String Quartet). Listen here.

Beehive by Julian Leeks (Note Performer demo version recorded for our sponsors)

To get in touch with Sound World please email info@sound-world.org or leave a post on out Facebook page SoundWorldUK.

For more info about Sound World visit sound-world.org

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Technology and AI

Season 1 · Episode 11

Monday, March 17, 2025 • Duration 44:27

What are the dangers posed by AI and what opportunities does it bring?

What does it mean for music and for how we value, understand and experience creativity?

Leading AI researcher Prof. Peter Flach and psychiatrist, neuroscientist and author Dr. Iain McGilchrist shed light on this complex and hugely consequential subject.

Written and presented by Julian Leeks Produced by Sound World

Music: Trombone Phrases by Nico Muhly. Listen on Apple Music or Spotify

In The Steps of Apollo by Julian Leeks (performed by Zelkova String Quartet). Listen here.

Beehive by Julian Leeks (Note Performer demo version recorded for our sponsors)

To get in touch with Sound World please email info@sound-world.org or leave a post on out Facebook page SoundWorldUK.

For more info about Sound World visit sound-world.org

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A land without music? – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

A land without music? – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

Other3

Apple5

Spotify4

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Similar podcasts and content

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Other3

Apple5

Spotify4

Apple Podcasts

Spotify