Dan Walker and Karthi Gnanasegaram host new Classic FM series celebrating classical music and sport

12 July 2024, 08:30 | Updated: 12 July 2024, 08:47

Two sport-loving Classic FM presenters combine to serve up a new nine-part series, ‘Perfect Pitch’ – a celebration of classical music and all the events we love during this special sporting summer.

Launching on Friday 12 July at 9pm on Classic FM, Karthi Gnanasegaram and Dan Walker will feature the classical music that has soundtracked sport’s most iconic moments and inspired our nation’s famous sport stars.

With England in the final of Euro 2024 on Sunday, the Wimbledon tournament reaching its climactic point and the Paris Olympics a couple of weeks away, Perfect Pitch launches at an ideal time to chime with the mood of the nation during this summer of sport.

The first series of Perfect Pitch, devised and presented by Karthi, was broadcast on Classic FM in 2019, and for this new series, Karthi is teaming up with the host of Classic FM Breakfast, Dan Walker.

In the first programme, the pair will celebrate the many big occasions where sport and classical music have come together. Highlights are Luciano Pavarotti’s legendary recording of ‘Nessun dorma’ by Puccini, synonymous with Italia 90, Ravel’s Bolero that accompanied Torvill and Dean’s legendary routine at the Winter Olympics in Sarajevo in 1984, and Malakai Bayoh’s performance of ‘Abide with Me’ that was sung by the young treble ahead of the FA Cup final in May this year.

Handel's Zadok the Priest - The Royal Scottish National Orchestra | Classic FM

The hour-long programmes will feature interviews with renowned personalities, picking the classical music that has been with them as they’ve trained and competed at the very highest level of their sport. The first guest, joining Karthi on Friday 19 July, will be Colin Jackson, the two-time world and Commonwealth champion, and Olympic silver medallist.

Dan Walker said: “Sport and classical music just work when they are put together. They pull on our emotions, they give our hopes and dreams a soundtrack and set us up for the biggest sporting occasions on the planet. Every Friday on Perfect Pitch, we’ll ask some superstars about their perfect warm-up tracks and the music that always gets them in the zone to produce their best when it really matters.”

Karthi Gnanasegaram said: “My passions growing up were classical music and sport and I loved playing in orchestras and being part of sports teams. I feel very lucky to still be involved with both, and in this second series of Perfect Pitch on Classic FM, to chat with some of the biggest sports stars who understand that mix of personal and team inspiration. Musicians must work together for the orchestra to be in sync, in the same way that sports people work with their team to achieve their goal. It's fascinating talking to athletes about that spirit of collaboration and the power of classical music to enrich their lives.”

Perfect Pitch launches 12 July at 9pm on Classic FM. Listen on your radio, on Global Player, 100-102 FM and on ClassicFM.com.