Dawn Chorus

From sunset until sunrise on the solstice, Verity Sharp presents a special dream-like night of radio documentaries from Radio 3's archives, celebrating the imaginative possibilities of radio and accompanied by music for enchantment.

During nine hours of overnight programming, Between the Ears documentaries are interspersed with music that speaks to the theme of the night (midsummer, nighttime, dreams, the forest, enchantment...). Midsummer Dreaming also pays homage to the spirit of the Third Programme, Radio 3’s predecessor, which took to the air 80 years ago in 1946.

Dawn is beginning to break as our night exploring the vast imaginative possibilities of the radio draws to a close with birdsong, the vocalisations of a forest choir of field recordists and a selection of music for midsummer morning.

04.58
Nightingales of Berlin (2021)
Produced by Jeremy Grange

In early summer, as darkness descends, Berlin resonates with the sound of nightingales. You can hear their haunting, ever-changing songs in parks, woodlands and gardens across the city. From Kreuzberg to Treptower, Tempelhof to Hasenheide, Berlin has become a refuge for one of the most celebrated and mythologised birds on earth. This programme gathers memories of the nightingale’s lingering, multi-faceted song and the sounds of city evenings to create an audio portrait of Berlin, its people and the bird to whom it’s given refuge.

05.26
Place-responsive vocal improvisation (2026)
Performed by murmuration 7’ vocal ensemble, led by Hanna Tuulikki
Recorded by Jez riley French on 2nd June 2026
murmuration is curated and led by Jez riley French & Pheobe riley Law

05.30
Aubade - a selection of music for a midsummer morning.

Midsummer Dreaming was produced by Alan Hall and Eleanor McDowall
Exec produced by Phil Smith from Reduced Listening
A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 3