"What fascinates me about music leading? About music making? For me, It’s all about music and people. These two threads I have woven together in my work over many years. Sometimes it’s mostly about the music as the group are engaged, skilled and motivated. Sometimes it’s mostly about the people if group members have difficulties of various kinds. But always it’s about how these two elements interact."

In this episode Neil goes through how music and people have intertwined for him and why these two aspects of community music have become the pillars of how the magic happens. 

He is joined by singer, composer, playwrite, songwriter, music leader and all round genius Aga Serugo-Lugo to discuss how he brings music and people together.
They talk about Aga's work with Britten Pears, Streetwise Opera and much more.

https://twitter.com/lugoaga

Music Listing: 

Theme Music from The Leaves of the Trees. Composition by Neil Valentine, recorded live in Winchester Cathedral. 
Performers: 
Neil Valentine – Viola, electronics, composer
With: Sophie Raven – Flute, Claire Yates – Viola, Jeremy Leverton – Electronics 

Loves Death – recording from Chamber Challenge with primary school children in Lambeth and the Heath Quartet. 

Lullaby - Sonic Cradle : Live in London. Taken from a recent Lullaby gig in 2020. Featuring Supriya Nagarajan (Carnatic singing) Duncan Chapman (Electronics/field recordings) and Neil Valentine (Electric Viola). 

EPIC! – Bitterne Park Secondary School Project. Project on British Values involving 30 secondary school students from years 8-10 in Bitterne Park Secondary School in Southampton.