I was lucky to grow up in an age when the likes of David Bowie, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, Annie Lennox, and many more were in their prime.
But I was curious about this thing called ‘classical music’ from my days of learning the piano. And I always found room for it during my working life.
I have always thought that anyone who likes a good tune can find something they will enjoy in classical music, and that belief was set in concrete in the most surprising circumstances.
We took our son, not obviously disposed to this genre, but curious, nevertheless, to the opera ‘Carmen’ in his early 20s. As we came out during the interval, the first thing he said was, “Hey Dad, this is really good!” You can’t fake that kind of spontaneous reaction.
At that point, I knew I could persuade anyone that they could find something to like in classical music. The first thing I did was to start writing a blog, introducing a piece of music with my thoughts on it. This lead to hosting a two hour Sunday morning local radio station, in which I shared my favourite music – and, most importantly, why I actually liked it and what to look out for when listening. I called it ‘Perfect Pitch’. The idea was not just to play the music, but give a gentle and accessible steer in the hope that it would add to its appreciation.
The response was far better than I could have hoped, and this has now led to the podcast. It means that people can listen wherever, and whenever they want, all over the world.
A direct consequence of this initiative was my appointment as a member of the Advisory Council of the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
I was only a modest musician, and I am no musicologist: I am just an enthusiast seeking to debunk a lot of the negative myths surrounding classical music. It’s for everyone. Let me show you.
