70: Democracy needs Imagination
To work effectively, democracy needs freedom of thought and expression if citizens are to make informed decisions in casting their votes; it also requires empathy – the capacity to appreciate … Continue reading
69: RIP Gillian Hanna
Gillian Hanna, one of the finest actors of her generation, died in August 2019, shortly after her 75th birthday. I first met Gillian in 1971, when I went to Liverpool … Continue reading
68: In Memoriam Rick Taylor
I was shocked to hear recently that Rick Taylor had died at the age of 62. Like so many Grand Union Orchestra musicians, Rick came into my life quite unexpectedly. … Continue reading
67: Down by the Riverside…
It was just the best Easter Sunday ever, in New Orleans with my daughter Lily! Following the parades through the French Quarter, we ended up in Jackson Square. As the … Continue reading
66: Music That Unites
Recent events across the world – from the mosque killings in New Zealand to the ugly side of Brexit in the UK – will have moved and appalled us all, … Continue reading
65: Fifty Years in Show Business!
As we were rehearsing Uncharted Crossings in December, the climax of the Grand Union Orchestra’s autumn programme, it suddenly struck me that it was exactly fifty years since I had … Continue reading
64: Can’t Chain Up Me Mind
Can’t Chain Up Me Mind was written exactly 30 years ago for Freedom Calls, which was recorded and broadcast by BBC Radio 3 and became the Grand Union Orchestra’s first … Continue reading
63: Uncharted Crossings
Earlier in the year, I learnt that this autumn our local Museum was to curate an exhibition called Black British Music in Hackney. It immediately occurred to me that it … Continue reading
62: What the River Brings
In Lisbon a couple of weeks ago with my daughter, we enacted a favourite ritual – take a ferry from the Cais do Sodre across the river to Cacilhas and … Continue reading
61: Mirage – welcome to 2018!
Just coming to the end of a very welcome and much needed month’s break in Australia, I was looking for a piece to accompany greetings and set the tone for the year ahead. As … Continue reading
60: Twelve Days of Christmas – a MixTape!
My sixtieth blog post – a milestone worth celebrating! Mix tapes are back in fashion, so why not a collection of favourite pieces I’ve written for the Grand Union Orchestra … Continue reading
59: Activism Unleashed
In many ways, this piece lies at the heart of Song of Contagion, and captures its essence, for several different reasons – although it’s not really typical of the show … Continue reading
58: What a Result!
No, I don’t mean the UK general election (although strangely that may have helped!), but the performances of Song of Contagion at Wilton’s Music Hall. By common consent, this was probably … Continue reading
57: An Alliance of Music and Science
For the next three months, leading up to the première performances of Song of Contagion at Wilton’s Music Hall (June 13th to 17th), the form of this blog will change. … Continue reading
