2016 Black British Business Awards

bbbaA belated congratulations to all the fantastic finalists and winners at the 2016 Black British Business Awards, which took place on the 6th of October. I was especially delighted that Chichi Nwanoku MBE, founder of the brilliant Chineke Orchestra (with whom I’m pictured below) won the Business Person of the Year award.

chichiThank you again to Dennis Owusu-Sem of Success Talks for his hospitality.

Chineke! Orchestra at the Southbank Centre

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I spent a glorious afternoon and evening at London’s Royal Festival Hall (my favourite place in London) earlier this month watching two magnificent performances by the juniors and adults from the Chineke! Foundation Orchestra.

I was very excited to attend this concert as I played the piano, the cello and the steel pans throughout my childhood. My evenings and weekends were spent either practising or performing at concerts. At my secondary school, Walthamstow School for Girls, I was never out of the music corridor apart from when I had compulsory lessons or was playing netball. Music was my (childhood and young adult) life.  Continue reading “Chineke! Orchestra at the Southbank Centre”

White River Blues

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I’m very proud of my mother Jane Grell, who recently launched ‘White River Blues‘ her second collection of adult poems. I was delighted that mum received strong support from Janet Charles, Acting Dominican High Commissioner to the UK (pictured above with mum and I) who kindly hosted the launch at the (Commonwealth of) Dominica High Commission. Please watch and enjoy this wonderful short video of the launch, made by Opello Media.

The Magic Flute

SCI spent four glorious hours at London’s Southbank Centre (my favourite place in the world) earlier this month, listening to and participating in discussion about my favourite opera, Mozart’s ‘The Magic Flute‘. My love for and interest in this sublime opera goes back 19 years – when I was living in Frankfurt studying German – and had to choose two topics in which to take an in-depth exam. Due to my interest in history and politics, I chose the Nazi Period. Due to my love of music (playing and listening), I chose the Magic Flute.
Continue reading “The Magic Flute”