Countercurrent: conversations with Professor Roger Kneebone

Sarah Hart is a mathematician whose research focuses on group theory. She is Professor Emerita at Birkbeck and Provost of Gresham College. In this podcast we explore her fascination with patterns, both in mathematical thinking and in the physical world. Sarah is well known for her ability to connect with a wide range of public audiences and she is passionate about exploring parallels between mathematics, language, art, history and music. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_B._Hart

Neal Peres Da Costa is Professor of Historical Performance at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where he founded the Historical Performance division in 2007. Before that he held academic posts in the UK. Neal is an expert on performance on historical keyboard instruments including the harpsichord. Alongside his work as a soloist, chamber and continuo musician performing with leading ensembles across the world, he is fascinated by the processes of historical and contemporary recording. In this conversation we explore how insights from the past can inform current practice, whether in music or medicine. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neal_Peres_Da_Costa

Per Palmgren is Associate Professor in Medical Education at Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden where he is the director of doctoral studies at the Department of Learning, Informatics, Management and Ethics. In addition to his work as an academic, Per is an award-winning ballroom dancer who has represented his country many times. He also teaches and adjudicates in dance competitions. In this conversation we explore these different instances of performing. https://ki.se/en/people/per-palmgren

Professor Ian Walmsley is Provost of Imperial College London and Chair in Experimental Physics. He has a distinguished career as a researcher, both in the UK and overseas. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society and has many awards and honours, including a CBE. Ian has a specialist interest in quantum information processing and leads a research group in this field. He is about to step down from his role at Imperial and take on the leadership of the Oxford Quantum Institute. In this podcast we explore what quantum computing is and how non-specialists like me might think of it.

Dr Deborah Safron is a sociologist and independent scholar who was brought up in America. As part of her research she is documenting the now abandoned practice of 'reading vacations' at Oxford University, and exploring how long-form reading might be revived - both for young people and those in retirement. We discuss how these ideas might help disadvantaged young people to experience intensive reading as they study, complementing the role of AI.

Dave Stachowiak is an expert in leadership. He established and directs the Coaching for Leaders Academy in the USA, drawing on his experience with Gale Carnegie and his doctorate in organisational leadership. He started his weekly podcast Coaching for Leaders in 2011 and recently invited me to take part in an episode. In this conversation we explore the nature of leadership before comparing notes on our experiences in podcasting. https://coachingforleaders.com My conversation with Dave on his podcast: https://coachingforleaders.com/podcast/teach-your-expertise-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