Kyle Books (part of the Octopus Publishing Group) has acquired A Soundtrack For Life by Scala Radio. Judith Hannam, Kyle Books Publishing Director, acquired World Rights from Clare Baker at Bauer Media. The book will be published on 8 July 2021 at £18.99.

Scala Radio Presenter Angellica Bell said: “Classical music is part of all of our lives whether we realise it or not, from weddings to computer games even movie soundtracks to simply sitting down in front of the telly! It’s just fantastic to see Scala Radio brought to life in book format so that everyone can easily discover more about this amazing genre of music. I hope you can have a read, with a cup of tea or glass of wine, whilst of course listening to my shows on Scala Radio.”

From the world’s most romantic music and the greatest Christmas carols to compositions that celebrate the natural world and mark births and marriages as well as the day-to-day routine, A Soundtrack for Life is for anyone who has ever wanted to discover more about classical music but doesn’t know where to begin. 

Organised into Occasions and Themes, the book features music to accompany you through your day, from getting up and getting dressed to running, reading, walking the dog, cooking, taking a bath, going to sleep and everything in between. With pieces ranging from Vaughan Williams’s The Lark Ascending and Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony to the scores for Avatar and Assassin’s Creed, each entry puts the piece of music into context, providing fascinating insights into the inspirations behind each work, enhancing the listening experience and making the music relevant for a modern audience.

Judith Hannam, Kyle Books Publishing Director said of the acquisition: “Scala Radio is breaking the mould of classical music in the UK and I’m delighted to be publishing this accessible and inspiring guide which brings together much-loved masterpieces with exciting new works, making classical music relevant for a whole new audience.”

Scala Radio was launched in March 2019, the first national classical music service to air on terrestrial radio in the UK since 1992. The station’s playlist features 70% popular and 30% new and ‘surprising’ classical music. Presenters include a range of radio and television personalities such as Simon Mayo, who presented the station’s first live show, Angellica Bell, Mark Kermode and Penny Smith.

– ENDS –

Notes to Editors 

About Scala Radio: 

Scala Radio is a brand-new entertainment radio station that breaks the mould of classical music in the UK. Presenters include Penny Smith, Angellica Bell, Alexis Ffrench, Mark Kermode, Mark Forrest and Simon Mayo. Alongside familiar masters such as Mozart, Beethoven and Bach, you can expect to hear contemporary works including film, TV and video game scores, showtunes from musicals and instrumental re-workings of pop and rock songs by the likes of Justin Timberlake, Led Zeppelin and Dua Lipa.