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19 January 2021
This Is A Token // Episode Two - Dwight Pile-Gray
The incredible musician Dwight Pile-Gray: a professional conductor, horn player, academician, and musical director of two orchestras, joins Alex at home in London for a chat about his pioneering work in the classical music industry, and the medals he has been awarded for his service to the Corps of Army Music.
Listen in, as Alex and Dwight discuss his musical childhood as a Guyanese child brought up in Croydon in the 60’s, working to increase representation and inclusivity in classical music, and the power and importance of camaraderie and representation in military jewellery.
“I was really looking forward to having a proper chat with Dwight. We’ve known each other for quite some time but I’ve never sat down and properly discussed all his work. He’s obviously passionate about music, and he has introduced me to some great new composers, but it was the fact that he is in the Army and that he had a medal that made me so keen to include him in this series.
I’m fascinated with medals (probably partly because I’m never going to get one!) and I was keen to explore their significance as important pieces of jewellery. He was as intelligent and generous as ever.”
Dwight's Medal for the Queen's Golden Jubilee
Here are some useful links for further reading on issues, events and artefacts discussed by Alex and Dwight.
You can follow Dwight on Twitter @PileGray
Listen to Dwight’s podcast, ‘The Black Maestro’, here
Visit Black Classical music www.blackclassicalmusic.uk
Further information on making a will here or www.gov.uk/make-will
Further reading on Samuel Coleridge-Taylor en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Coleridge-Taylor
More information on the Chineke Foundation www.chineke.org
Learn more about Florence Price here
Illustration by Connie Bella Monroe
Edited by Emily Sandford
Music by Daniel Patrick Cohen
Please note, that this podcast was recorded during one of the less strict periods of the coronavirus pandemic, with all the necessary safety measures in place.
The Journal
The Journalis where Alex Monroe shares the stories behind the jewellery, from design inspiration and craftsmanship to nature, creativity, and life in the workshop. It offers a closer look at the people, places, and processes that shape each collection, alongside seasonal styling ideas, interviews, and behind-the-scenes insights.
