Hello, I'm Kirstie Young. Thank you for downloading this podcast of Desert Island Disks from BBC Radio 4.

For rights reasons, the music choices are shorter than in the radio broadcast.

For more information about the program, please visit BBC.co.uk.

Radio 4. My cast away this week is Dame Fanny Waterman. It was during a sleepless night

more than 40 years ago that she came up with the idea of launching a piano competition in leads.

Since then, it's become a world-renowned event and been a springboard for many of our most celebrated

pianists. She was a child prodigy herself, but turned her back on a career

on the concert platform to teach. She has instructed and inspired generations of musicians,

and as she celebrates her 90th birthday continues to teach

master classes whilst her piano books sell in their millions. It's all about

listening she says I'm very frank and I have the courage to say what I believe.

You don't stop working because you grow old. You grow old because you stop working.

Dame Fanny Waterman, it's an extraordinary idea the city almost

coming alive with the sound of all these great, of course young musicians, they're

under 30 years old and the competition happens every three years. It must take

meticulous planning. Have you yourself sort of stepped back from the everyday

involved? Oh no, it's like a military operation and people call me Field Marshal Fanny.

I'm busy britches and I've got to know what's happening on every front, but I must say that the Yorkshire hospitality is outstanding.

We've got a team of marvelous people who are all volunteers giving their time and help.

You say you're busy britches.

Are you something of a stickler?

Oh yes, I was at school and my school motto was in

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