BBC Four is to partner with London’s Southbank Centre for its year-long ‘The Rest is Noise Festival’ in 2013. Inspired by American music critic Alex Ross’s book on 20th century classical music, the festival will include almost 100 events, with talks, films, participation events and concerts, exploring the century’s music chronologically and in the context of political and cultural happenings. Festival resident orchestra the London Philharmonic will open the series in January 2013 with an all-Richard Strauss programme conducted by principal conductor Vladimir Jurowski.

BBC Four will support the festival with a television series documenting 20th-century classical music, and other features to be announced later in the year. BBC Radio 3 will work alongside BBC Four with programmes and performances tying to the television series.

‘The 20th century divides classical music lovers like no other and there's no more thrilling way of discovering what the last 100 years brought us, than by listening to its music, in all its rich, vibrant, challenging and melodic glories,’ said Richard Klein, controller of BBC Four. ‘As the home of classical music on television and a channel committed to partnering the arts sector, BBC Four's partnership with Southbank Centre will bring audiences an exciting opportunity to explore 20th-century music in a way that only the BBC can do, with depth, breadth and passion.’

Read more about 'The Rest is Noise Festival' on the Southbank Centre website.