Valentine
workshop leader
viola player
creative Musician
Copyright © Neil Valentine 2011
His most recent projects include leading 'Regeneration' with Slough Music Service,
working with Gifted and Talented Young people in Slough, and in collaboration with
4Motion Dance Theatre and Hatch My Ideas! in creating instrumental music, writing
songs, developing movement, choreography, film and animation inspired by the current
regeneration of Slough. In February he worked with the London Symphony Orchestra
and Lewisham Music Service and 45 young wind and brass players from 'Fabulosity'.
Together they created a new piece of music called Aquarium, based on the piece by
Saint-
His work with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra includes Resound Family Music Days for both Early Years and Primary Age young people and their families. He also directed part of Count Us In!, a collaborative project between the RPO and Hertfordshire Music Service.
In January this year he worked with Southbank Sinfonia and Leiston Primary School
to devise their own interpretation of The Hebrides Overture by Mendelssohn. He worked
with members of SbS to prepare them for the workshops and then together they devised
this special performance. The entirety of the School came to watch SbS perform the
original Mendelssohn version and their own 're-
in July 2010 he conducted a string section of 800 young people for Music For Youth
event SCORE! 5000 young people came together to perform in St Andrews Football Stadium
in Birmingham. He was recently involved in leading a Music Junction project and performance
with the London Chamber Orchestra and Barnados Schools, mixing professional orchestral
players, music specialist pupils from Bradfield College and young people from High
Close Barnados School in Wokingham. This wide range of experiences and abilities
proved to be a roaring success with the re-
Neil also regular works with young composers, string players and conducts the Senior String Ensemble and Junior Orchestra at the Tower Hamlets Saturday Music Centre. This year he has conducted Andante Festivo by Sibelius, Extracts for Carmen, Mozart 40th Symphony, Blue Danube, Danny Boy, and extracts from the Four Seasons.
He is able to work with any group of instrumentalists and singers to create and perform music that is relevant, exciting and suited to each member of the group. His understanding of orchestras, the role of the conductor and the leaders and members within an orchestra or ensemble as well as the way chamber music works enables real teamwork and communication within the group, which is the foundation of any truly creative music making.
