I say words out loud in front of lots of people to make them think about things in different ways.

I've appeared as a keynote speaker at events including the Agenda Setting conference in Switzerland, and been featured on conference panels and industry roundtables in the UK, the Netherlands, and at major conferences and exhibitions.

Key themes on which I've spoken include:

• the power of music to change lives in post-conflict zones
• the social impact of access to music education
• how positive cultural media narratives can effect real change in civil society

Most of my key areas of focus are covered by my main projects - please explore that section to see the breadth of my understanding and expertise.

Because most of my speaking work can be presented in conjunction with a live performance or workshop, I'm able to engage audiences by making things as interactive as possible. I always do my best to link spoken word themes and ideas as closely as possible with the music I perform.

As my version of the well-worn aphorism goes: the audience won't remember what you said, they won't remember what you played, but they will remember how you made them feel!

A source of never-ending inspiration to me is the work of the late Sir Ken Robinson, and every few years I rewatch his legendary series of TED talks (see video below) which for me are the gold standard to live up to (Ben Zander, who I once interviewed in London, is good too!).

Or click here to load on Ted.com