Charles Parker Prize winners; Chris Delaney, Mariana Des Forges and Eve Conlon. Image: Louise Tjaerandsen

Goldsmiths’ MA Radio students took Gold and Silver awards at the annual Charles Parker day, where the work of the pioneering BBC radio feature producer is celebrated.

He is known for his radio documentaries and series of Radio Ballads, which he made with Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger.

The day took place in Bristol at the University of the West of England on Friday March 18th.

Charles Parker Gold winner Chris Delaney. Image: Louise Tjaerandsen

As a part of the celebration, the Charles Parker Prize is given to three students in order to acknowledge their work.

This year the Gold prize was given to Chris Delaney from Goldsmiths, University of London, for his piece ‘In Memory Of – Ayrton Senna’.

The piece was a personal history about how he stopped being in contact with his father when he was young boy and then meeting his father again 20 years later.

Listen to the full interview with Chris Delaney below.

The Silver Prize was awarded to Mariana Des Forges also from Goldsmiths, University of London, for her piece ‘Behind The Door’.

Charles Parker Silver winner Mariana Des Forges. Image: Louise Tjaerandsen

This piece was about an attack Ms Des Forges experienced herself a little more than a year ago in her own house.

You can listen to the piece here.

About making the piece, Mariana Des Forges said:

To make the piece was my way of taking back the control and the power that I felt that I lost when this guy broke into my house and attacked me

She furthermore stated that winning the Charles Parker Silver Prize for this traumatic piece has helped her get over what happened.

Listen to the whole interview with Mariana Des Forges below.

The day was also filled with talks from radio producers from amongst other the BBC, Radio Atlas, Stories Re-Told and many more.

One of them was Peggy Seeger who read from her autobiography that has not yet been published.

Peggy Seeger. Image: Louise Tjaerandsen

The book is about her life, her husband Ewan MacColl and working together with Charles Parker.

The three of them revolutionized radio in the 1950s by using the voices of the actual interviewees instead of the voice of actors, which was the norm at that time.

Their Radio Ballads furthermore contained songs, instrumental music and sound effects.

Mrs. Seeger said she pleased to be attending the Charles Parker Day and that she was amazed by how the young students were able to manipulate the new ways of recording, editing and producing.

In 2017 Charles Parker Day will be in Sheffield.

Written by Louise Tjaerandsen