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Malcolm Meadows

Location: Abergavenny, Monmouthshire

About the Speaker...

Malcolm has a degree in Pharmacy from the University of Wales and worked in Retail and Hospital Pharmacy. He has worked in Essex, North Devon and for 17 years spent a challenging and fruitful time in Salisbury before moving to his home town of Abergavenny to take up a hospital appointment, which proved to be even more challenging but rewarding.

Following his retirement he has been able to follow his interest in Music, Art and a miscellany of subjects to inform and entertain mixed groups of members of Rotary clubs, U3A, Probus, Church groups and WI’s, and Art groups.

For the past 3 years he has given presentations on Cruise ships sailing to destinations from Tahiti to St Petersburg, Cape Verde and the Canaries to Scandinavia, all of which received a good rating, otherwise he would not have been asked back!

About his talks...

They are all PowerPoint presentations lasting between 45 to 60 minutes and the music presentations he calls “Images to Music”. Most of the music subjects centre around the “Life and Music of….” But there is a fascinating group of Music and Dance around the World. The emphasis is always one of entertainment.

He considers them to be visually stunning and the feedback afterwards always comments on the amazing collection of images. Visually the Art Presentations are of course well illustrated, but often he tries to incorporate little musical interludes to accompany the paintings.

He has his own equipment, laptop, projector and sound so the only requirement is a reasonable sized screen, or a white wall, and a table on which to position them. He is happy to use any compatible equipment from a memory stick if this is an option.

Fee:

The fee for an average group of up to 50 is £40 with a discount for smaller groups within reasonable travelling distance of Abergavenny.

Larger groups from 50-150 and beyond, by negotiation, with a ceiling of £75. A large percentage of his fee is used to support three or four of his chosen charities. Travelling expenses are calculated at a rate of 25p per mile outside a radius of 20 miles from Abergavenny.

My Contact Details:

Phone:

01873-851119

Email:

mgmeadows@hotmail.co.uk

My Musical Presentations

The Music presentations are accompanied by significant images of performers and abstract images to illustrate my interpretation of the music. It’s a sort of Desert Island disk presentation in that most musical items are “bite sized” lasting on average 3-4 minutes, and the choice of music is dictated by my selection of music which is essentially “listenable to” by the average audience.
In essence it is meant to be strictly “edutainment” and each lecture roughly comprises me talking for about 15-20 minutes interspersed with 30 minutes of music, which can always be extended for a longer presentation if required.

1. A celebration of British Light Music Classics.

A talk by Public Speaker Malcolm Meadows - A celebration of British Light Music Classics.

Includes the music made famous as the signature tunes to many radio programmes of the 1st half of the 20th Century. Music to lift the spirits with well known melodies to recall those halcyon days of our youth. Illustrated with “Images to Music”

2. The Life and Music of Frederic Chopin.

A Polish composer and virtuoso pianist, he is widely considered to be one of the greatest Romantic piano composers. The presentation will include examples of his nocturnes, études, the Variation in B flat major and an excerpt from his Piano Concerto No 1, all illustrated under the title “Images to Music”.

3. The Life and Music of Claude Debussy

A talk by Public Speaker Malcolm Meadows - The Life and Music of Claude Debussy

Debussy is among the most important of all French composers and a central figure in European music at the turn of the 20th century. He was made Chevalier of the Legion of Honour in 1903. Often Debussy’s work reflected the activities or turbulence in his own life. His music virtually defines the transition from late-Romantic music to 20th century modernist music.

4. Music from Around the World.

This journey crosses Continents and features the various folk music of many countries with brief historical notes to introduce each track, and accompanied with images of each country and people.

Also: History of Dances from Around the World

5. Edvard Grieg

Grieg was a Norwegian composer and pianist. He is widely considered one of the leading Romantic era composers, and his music is part of the standard classical repertoire worldwide. His use and development of Norwegian folk music in his own compositions put the music of Norway in the international spectrum, as well as helping to develop a national identity.

6. William Walton and the Garden on Ischia

A talk by Public Speaker Malcolm Meadows - William Walton and the Garden on Ischia

The fascinating story of the life and music of Sir William Walton, his marriage to Susanna and the creation of one of the most beautiful gardens of Europe on the island of Ischia in the Bay of Naples.

7. Music of the Baroque Era : 1600 - 1750

A talk by Public Speaker Malcolm Meadows - Music of the Baroque Era

Part 1. Allegri to Vivaldi

Part 2. J.S Bach and George F. Handel

8.Life and Music of Haydn 1732 - 1809

The Life and Music of Franz Joseph Haydn

Part 1. Symphonies and Concertos

Part 2. Chamber music, keyboard & Choral

9. Life & Music of Tchaikovsky 1840 -1893

Talk by Public Speaker Malcolm Meadows - The Life and Music of Tchaikovsky

Part 1. The early years 1840-1878

Part 2. The later years 1878-1893

9a. Jean Sibelius, His life and music

A talk by Public Speaker Malcolm Meadows - Jean Sibelius; His Life and Music

Illustrated with stunning scenes of Finland together with Swans, his time at his home, Ainola, and his struggle to establish a Finnish National identity.

10. The Magic of London Theatres

A talk by Public Speaker Malcolm Meadows - The Magic of London Theatres

This presentation explores the history of the theatre in London from Shakespeare to the present day, and is fully illustrated with images displaying the sumptuous interiors of these “Theatres of Dreams”

10a. Alchemy to Pharmacy, and my life in Pills and Potions

A talk by Public Speaker Malcolm Meadows - Alchemy to Pharmacy, and my life in Pills and Potions

Alchemy, the medieval forerunner of chemistry, concerned with the transmutation of matter, in particular with attempts to convert base metals into gold, or find a universal elixir of life. This presentation, fully illustrated, traces the history of this science through to the present day, and my career through the many changes in medicine and pharmacy.

11. Alfred Sisley and the Impressionists

A talk by Public Speaker Malcolm Meadows - Alfred Sisley

Alfred Sisley, born in 1839 was one of the greatest landscape painters of the 19th Century and a prominent figure in the Impressionist movement. He is described as “a painter continually renewing his art, absorbing influences, yet creating a personal vision of rural France that is as enduring and enchanting as the work of his fellow impressionists”

12. Mark Chagall

A talk by Public Speaker Malcolm Meadows - Marc Chagall

Marc Chagall was born on July 7, 1887, in Vitebsk, Belarus (in the Russian Empire).He created works in nearly every artistic medium, including sets for plays and ballets, biblical etchings, and stained-glass windows. This lecture provides a fascinating introduction to this versatile and exuberant genius and religious artist, and includes examples of his paintings, theatre sets and costumes and stained glass including his memorial windows in All Saints Church, Tudeley, Kent.

13. Salvador Dali

A talk by Public Speaker Malcolm Meadows - Salvador Dali

Salvador Dali, born in 1904 is perhaps the most universally famous and popular artist of the 20th Century. This is born not only out of his ability as an artist, he was an extraordinarily gifted painter technically, a brilliant draughtsman, but also as fluent in words as he was in paint. He dedicated his life to proving he was a genius. This lecture will illustrate a collection of his paintings, aspects from his life, and collaboration with other artists.

14. An introduction to Gothic Art

A talk by Public Speaker Malcolm Meadows - An introduction to Gothic Art

Between 1140 and 1400 a vast quantity of very fine paintings, stained glass, sculpture, manuscript illuminations and tapestries were produced. These together with the splendour of the great Gothic cathedrals opened a new chapter in the history of art.

15. Antoni Gaudi

A talk by Public Speaker Malcolm Meadows - Antoni Gaudi

A Spanish architect who produced most of his work in Barcelona. Villas for the rich, and the World famous Sagrada Familia which began over 100 years ago and is yet to be finished.

16. Poets of World War 1

Talk by Public Speaker Malcolm Meadows - Poets of World War 1

The war was so unusual and horrific that it inspired many people, especially soldiers, to write poems about it. They wanted to describe what the war was like so that people at home could understand how it had felt for them. They also wanted to make sure people never forgot. This presentation explores some of the most celebrated Poets and a few of the significant battles together with visits to some of the Major War Cemetries

17. The Role of Women in World War 1

Talk by Public Speaker Malcolm Meadows - The Home Front and the Role of Women in WW1

Life for women changed dramatically during the war because so many men were away fighting. Many women took paid jobs outside the home for the first time. By 1918 there were five million women working in Britain. The money they earned contributed to the family’s budget and earning money made working women more independent. Many enjoyed the companionship of working in a factory, office or shop rather than doing ‘piece work’ at home. This presentation explores the many and varied roles undertaken by women during the War.

World War I at sea and the sinking of the Lusitania

The Royal Navy in 1914 was the largest in the World, mainly because for many years the service had adopted the so-called two power standard, meaning that it had to be equal to the combined strength of any other two fleets in the world. This presentation, graphically illustrated, describes the conflict at sea and the sinking of the Lusitania.