The week beginning 25 February 2013

Monday 25 February: Best of Composer of the Week 2012

(8) Inge van Rij explores the life and work of Hector Berlioz (1803-1869)

Wednesday 27 February: The Age of Reason

How has the world changed for women? Six inspiring octogenarians look back.

Six programmes

(3) Dr Alice Rivlin

Dr Alice Rivlin is an economist who has seen every boom and bust since World War II. Now aged 81 she is one of President Obama's advisors on debt. It's her job to come up with solutions to America's financial crisis. She was a child during the Great Depression and as a young woman she worked on The Marshall, helping rebuild Europe after the war.  She speaks to Jenni Murray about the challenges of being female and wanting to be an economist – rejected from some universities, and even forbidden from taking out library books because she was female.

See the BBC website for this programme.

Thursday 28 February: Song of America

This 13-part series presented by Thomas Hampson examines connections between poetry, music, history and culture from the perspective of classic American song

(9) “There is No Gender in Music”

So said composer Elinor Remick Warren. This programme looks at the lives and songs of generations of American women composers (WFMT)

See the Song of America website for this programme.

Friday 29 February: 2012 Gramophone Awards

Best Orchestral Recording

MARTINU: Symphonies, No 1; No 2 - BBC SO/Jirí Belohlávek (Onyx 4061)