BBC TV Show Maestro

Posted by Sarah Canice Funke Aug 18, 2008

The BBC has developed a new TV show that follows the same format as ABC's Dancing with the Stars: take a group of celebrities, run them through a rigorous course in an arts-related skill, and set them before a panel of judges to determine which is the best newbie of the bunch.

Maestro, a television show that teaches eight celebrities the intricate ins and outs of conducting, will culminate in a final performance with the BBC Orchestra as part of the summer Proms.

Will the finalists be ready? They've certainly gone through an extensive crash course in conducting, studying with experts such as Christopher Warren-Green, Brad Cohen and Matthew Rowe.

The eight celebrities are David Soul, Katie Derham, Goldie, Alex James, Sue Perkins, Bradley Walsh, Jane Asher and Peter Snow. The show is presented by Clive Anderson, a barrister turned comedy writer. The judges are bassist Dominic Seldis, conductor Simone Young, cellist Zoe Martlew and conductor Sir Roger Norrington.

Unfortunately, the show is only available in the UK. Yet even if you are not on British soil, you can still participate in the interactive games on the website. Try your hand at conducting a full orchestra. It's not as easy as it looks.

For more information or to play the conducting game, please visit the Maestro website.