ROGER Wright may have one of the top jobs in broadcasting but the Stretford born controller of Radio 3 likes nothing better than returning to his northern roots.

Now based in London, this exiled local comes home as often as he can visit relatives or listen to the strains of the Manchester based BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.

He also misses the friendliness of his former community which may sound corny, if every word which comes out of his mouth didn't ooze sincerity. Even on the end of a phone line, Roger comes across as a really nice guy.

He's got enough humility to admit he wasn't gifted enough to make it as a professional musician even though he studied the cello at Chetham's School of Music and sang in the school choir.

His early musical education took place in the choir at St Matthew's Church in Stretford, where his father was the rector, and was completed at London University, which he left with a music degree. His brother was the one went on to play professionally.

Roger decided to apply for the Radio 3 job because he felt that when it comes to covering classical music and the arts no station does it better. The job carries with it a host of responsibilities, ranging from production to making decisions on the type of programming the network puts out.

What does he enjoy about his work?

'The knowledge that one is associated with something of such quality and which has such high ideals', he says.

It wouldn't be difficult to fill a few hundred words by simply reproducing Roger's cv. He's worked for a classical music publishers in Germany and as artistic administrator for the Cleveland Orchestra in the United States. His brief was to keep the CO's standards as high as possible and find the funding to keep them so.

When he's relaxing at home in Bedfordshire with his wife Rosemary, Roger plays the cello and the piano - but not at the same time. His seven year old daughter Alice is already showing an appetite for music by learning the piano and the recorder. At the tender age of four his son William is considered by his parents to be too young to start playing just yet.

Roger and his wife attend classical concerts whenever they can and they're not averse to taking the children with them. He loves the variety of music on offer in the capital but is definately no shrinking violet when it comes to proclaiming the musical pedigree of the Manchester based orchestras.

'The quality of what's on offer from groups like the BBC Philharmonic is really second to none and the range of activities going on at the Bridgewater Hall and the Royal Northern College of Music'.

If you want to flummox anybody involved in classical music, simply ask them who their favourite composer is.

'I have hundreds of favourite composers and hundreds of favourite pieces of music. Its a case of whatever is my mood and whatever I feel like listening to at any one time', he says.

Like most parents of young children there's no escape from The Spice Girls because his daughter is a big fan. Roger's catholic tastes in music also incorporate jazz and big band tunes.

Away from the world of broadcasting, Roger follows the fortunes of Lancashire County Cricket Club and indulges his other great passion, live theatre. What sort of plays is he interested in?

'Particulary modern theatre - because modern work and the commitment to new writing is a very important part of what Radio 3 does', he says.

Nice plug Rodge, I'm impressed.........

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