James Mayhew, children’s author and illustrator and a former My Music interviewee, has just published a beautiful new book capturing the magic of stories behind major orchestral works.

Called Once Upon a Tune: Stories from the Orchestra, it draws on Mayhew’s experience of presenting live events in which he paints alongside ensembles, to bring to life for young readers and listeners works including Peer Gynt, Scheherazade, William Tell and The Swan of Tuonela. As well as the illustrated stories, Mayhew also offers readers background to the works, plus recommended recordings, and is aimed at children aged five and upwards.

The Swan of Tuonela: James Mayhew's Sibelius-inspired illustration

In his My Music interview - from Gramophone's May 2019 issue - Mayhew revealed the role illustration had played in his own early musical journey, his interest in the art form first being sparked by the cover of a Scheherazade LP featuring a painting by Edmund Dulac (a recording of which, conducted by Kirill Kondrashin, was appropriately enough his choice of favourite album). 

Once Upon a Tune: Stories from the Orchestra is available from Otter-Barry Books priced £16.99: click here to find out more.