Helen Leek is a pianist who has won many prizes, including the International Young Concert Artists Competition and the Brant International Piano Competition. She performs as a soloist and chamber musician and teaches piano at Royal Holloway, University of London. She also gives masterclasses and adjudicates at competitions within the Royal College of Music. In this conversation explore her approach to music and discuss parallels between our professional worlds. Helen dedicates this podcast to the memory of psychotherapist Bill Hendry, who died suddenly in March 2025.
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1:31:37
Eleanor Sharpston in conversation with Roger Kneebone
Dame Eleanor Sharpston KC served as an Advocate General at the Court of Justice of the European Union from 2006 to 2020, before being removed following Brexit. Eleanor has held academic roles at the University of Cambridge, has numerous honorary doctorates and is a Bencher at the Middle Temple. In this conversation we discuss her remarkable career and explore parallels between our different paths.
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1:36:00
Steven Appleby in conversation with Roger Kneebone
Steven Appleby is an artist, illustrator and cartoonist who has created cartoon strips for The Guardian, The New Musical Express and many other publications. She has written and drawn many books (including the graphic novel Dragman), designed record covers, and has collaborated on a wide range of projects. She’s a transgender person who describes herself as being relaxed about pronouns. We recorded this podcast at Steven’s exhibition Nothing is Real in London. https://www.stevenappleby.com
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1:11:59
Graham Scott in conversation with Roger Kneebone
Graham Scott is one of only twenty Premier League football referees. In this podcast we explore the challenges, pressures and satisfactions of being a top level referee and discuss the nature of the role. We also explore Graham's parallel career in journalism, from being a report to becoming Editor of the Nursing Standard.
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1:15:40
Stephen Akinsanya in conversation with Roger Kneebone
Stephen Akinsanya is a barrister who focuses on defence work in many areas of criminal law. He has a particular interest in defending young people accused of involvement in knife-related crime. He is also committed to advocacy training and to supporting less experienced colleagues in his profession as they develop their careers. In this conversation we discuss our experiences in very different areas of professional practice. https://15nbs.com/portfolio/stephen-akinsanya/
About Countercurrent: conversations with Professor Roger Kneebone
A podcast for people who like the unexpected. Join the surgeon and academic Professor Roger Kneebone in conversation with unorthodox people whose careers defy traditional boundaries and who swim against the tide.
Technical support by Justin Margovan - with my thanks
My personal website www.rogerkneebone.co.uk
Many of the people in Countercurrent feature in my book Expert: Understanding the Path to Mastery (Penguin Viking, 2020)
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/313/313248/expert/9780241392058.html
Listen to Countercurrent: conversations with Professor Roger Kneebone, Making Sense with Sam Harris and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app
South Africa