Countercurrent: conversations with Professor Roger Kneebone

Charles Hayter is a radiation oncologist, author and playwright. After an early career studying and teaching drama, Charles changed direction and became a medical student. He was inspired by radiation oncology’s combination of technological precision with the human experience of patients coming to terms with cancer. His book Cancer Confidential was published in 2022. In this podcast we compare our experiences within and beyond the world of medicine. https://charleshayter.com/ Cancer Confidential: Backstage Dramas in the Radiation Clinic (University of Toronto Press, 2022)

Rachel Vickery is a human behaviour and high performance consultant. Initially an international gymnast on the New Zealand National Team, she retired from athletics at the age of nineteen. She trained as a physiotherapist and gained extensive clinical experience before specialising in supporting people from a wide range of high pressure professions and fields - including medicine, sport, the military and law. Rachel’s approach integrates physical, mental and emotional dimensions. In this podcast we discuss our shared fascination in looking across conventional disciplinary boundaries. https://rachelvickery.com

Sophie Yates is a distinguished harpsichordist - recitalist, broadcaster, recording artist and teacher. We first recorded a Countercurrent conversation in 2017. In this podcast we explore Sophie’s ability to listen with forensic accuracy in her world of music - and compare this with the role of listening in clinical practice and other areas of performing. 

Ashley Solomon is Head of Historical Performance and Professor at the Royal College of Music. He is a baroque flute and recorder player who has performed as a soloist all over the world. He co-founded the baroque ensemble Florilegium in 1991. Since then they have made over 35 recordings and performed all over the world, including almost a hundred appearances at London’s  Wigmore Hall. Ashley has been working with indigenous musicians in Bolivia for over twenty years, uncovering and exploring a baroque  musical tradition dating back to the Jesuit missions in the 17th century.  https://www.rcm.ac.uk/hp/professors/details/?id=01414

The Very Rev Dr Mark Oakley is Dean of Southwark. He has held many ecclesiastical roles, including Rector of St Paul’s Covent Garden, then Chancellor at St Paul’s Cathedral. He is deeply interested in poetry, is a prolific writer and has a PhD in English literature. A turning point for Mark as a young minister in his twenties was his work with young men dying from HIV/AIDS. In this conversation we explore the role of poetry and metaphor in Mark’s ministry and find surprising resonances between our areas of practice. 

Stephen Kovacevich is one of the  most celebrated concert pianists of his generation. Since his Wigmore Hall debut in 1961 he has been known for his interpretations of Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart and Schubert. Stephen and I look back over his career and discuss his experiences as a soloist, chamber musician, recording artist and conductor, collaborating with many of the world’s leading performers and orchestras. He and pianist Martha Argerich will be performing at the Wigmore Hall in October 2025 in a concert to celebrate his 85th birthday.

Michael Booth is Chief Library Assistant at the London Library, where he has worked for forty years. One of his remarkable skills is an ability to track down books that have gone missing amongst the Library’s collection of over a million volumes. We discuss the combination of observation, experience and detective work that enable him to find even the most elusive items in the Library’s enormous repository.  https://www.londonlibrary.co.uk  

Toby Purser is Head of Conducting at the Royal College of Music in London. His musical interests encompass symphonic, operative and contemporary repertoires alongside film music and intercultural collaborations. He founded the Orion Orchestra in 2005 and is its artistic director. Toby has been guest conductor with many leading orchestras across the world. In this conversation we explore the many facets of a conductor’s role. https://www.tobypurser.co.uk

Wayne Meeten, a craftsman renowned for his mastery of ancient Japanese metalworking and influenced by Tai Chi, shares his artistic journey. He recounts the serendipitous turns from an early career as a jeweler to becoming an award-winning silversmith. Wayne discusses the emotional depth of his craft and the challenge of creating unique pieces using only traditional techniques. He explores the balance between creativity and confidence, as well as the profound impact of his experiences in Japan and mentorship on his artistic expression.

Janis Wong, a Data and Technology Law Policy Advisor with a PhD in computer science, dives deep into the evolving dynamics between law and technology. She discusses the transformative role of the Law Society in supporting solicitors post-2007 Legal Services Act and emphasizes the importance of legal education in a global context. Wong also addresses the challenges of navigating digital evidence in the legal framework and the need for collaboration between legal experts and tech professionals, particularly as AI advances rapidly in society.