"In 2016 Lisa Tregale (then Head of Participation at BSO) said to me something along the lines of ‘the reason you're an associate of the BSO is that you are bombproof’. This has stuck with me. My first reaction to this was ‘damn right I am!’. And just to be clear, she was damn right, and I am. But the implications have stayed with me since then, churning around my head. What she meant was that I could go into any group, any age, any mix of people and create something meaningful with them using music as the catalyst. That’s quite a statement, and I am proud of it."

Get ready for some honesty!
In this episode Neil confronts some of the anxieties associated with being a 'Bombproof Musician', working as a freelancer and how you balance the anxieties with your authenticity. 
He discusses Music for Life with Wigmore Hall:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKBy50oAPbY&ab_channel=WigmoreHall
and how that led to leading the music and medicine project Music for a While with the BSO: https://www.ahsw.org.uk/projects/music-for-a-while/

Followed by a conversation with amazing music leader and facilitator and fellow BSO Associate Samantha Mason: https://www.samanthamason.co.uk/

Thankyou Sam!

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 

The Swan – recorded live at ABC Concerts in Winchester. Pippa Rans – Cello, Duncan Honeybourne - Piano 

SGT Peppers & The Apocalyptic Eliminator - Southampton Family Orchestra. Project led by Neil Valentine with Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Southampton Music Hub. Recorded live in Turner Sims, Southampton. 

Day and Back – Last Light. Composed, performed, produced by Neil Valentine 

"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. 

"What is a Musical Force? Not what, but who. Who is a musical force? Who moves music making forward? The obvious answer is the conductor. The conductor has some music, she knows how it should go and so she rehearses a group to realise her vision of how the music goes. 

That is an excellent way of being a Musical Force. And it is especially effective when there is a coherent group of skilled individuals who all understand their roles and jobs within the group and use the conductor as the focal point for creating something together. 

This is not what I do. Yet I am still a Musical Force. Most of my best work has been with groups who are less defined in their sense of their jobs and roles. As a community musician my job description is to work with whoever I have in front of me and to be the Musical Force for them."

Neil discusses what it means to be a Musical Force as a Community Musician, the ups and downs and how he has come to the conclusion that being a positive musical force is one of the most important aspects of being a community musicians. Neil mixes this with experiences of group Flow whilst playing at the Music for Youth Proms and the great light bulb moment he experienced with Southbank Sinfonia.

He then sits down with Voces8 Foundation CEO (and old friend) Paul Smith to talk about how he has helped shape Voces8 into a musical force all over the world, one that doesnt just perform to the highest of standards, but brings people along with them placing participants front and centre.

https://voces8.foundation/paulsmith
https://www.psv8.co.uk/
Voces8 Method to buy from Amazon: shrtco.de/iExMXy
Instagram @hatchmyideas
Neil and Pauls Reflections Album: https://open.spotify.com/album/1QTt4mZxOxpbwnSOpXds4Q
Music for Youth: https://mfy.org.uk/
Southbank Sinfonia: https://www.southbanksinfonia.co.uk/

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 

Finlandia – Jean Sibelius – Royalty Free Recording 

Classical Symphony – Sergei Prokofiev – Southbank Sinfonia 

The Pity of War – featuring Southbank Sinfonia 
Project with Archbishop Sumner School YR5 and Southbank Sinfonia. Recorded live in the Old Vic Tunnels – Waterloo. 
Music co-composed with Neil Valentine, Southbank Sinfonia and children from Archbishop Sumner School. 

O Gwen – from Reflections Voces8 Records. Composed by Neil Valentine. Performed by Neil Valentine, Paul Smith, Clare Stewart and Voces8.