Cecilia McDowall conquers the Antarctic

The City of London Sinfonia are about to finish their 'Conquering the Atlantic' tour, commemorating the centenary of Captain Scott's ill-fated South Pole expedition. Premiering a new short piece as part of the tour is British composer Cecilia McDowell.

Titled Seventy Degrees Below Zero, the piece takes its inspiration from Captain Scott’s moving final letters to his family. It sits alongside performances of music by Vaughan Williams and readings of excerpts from Scott's diary, as read by Downton Abbey’s Hugh Bonneville.

As the Conquering the Antarctic tour prepares to make its final stop in London's Cadogan Hall next month, Classic FM’s Lucy Coward spoke to Cecilia McDowall all about her unique composition.

Listen to our interview with Cecilia McDowall here