Music Matters

Tom Service meets the acclaimed violinist and conductor Nikolaj Znaider ahead of concerts involving both his violin and his baton with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and his Mozart project with the London Symphony Orchestra. Nikolaj talks to Tom about how to engage young audiences, how Colin Davis taught him everything he knew and, of course, why music matters.Up till now Philip Glass's masterpiece Music in 12 Parts has only been performed by the composer's own Philip Glass Ensemble - but Glass has now given his blessing for a new generation of players to take on the three-and-a-half-hour epic.Tom talks to organist James McVinnie and a specially formed ensemble including pianists Timo Andres, David Kaplan and Eliza McCarthy, gamba player Liam Byrne and soprano Josephine Stephenson about the piece. Plus he talks to original Glass Ensemble members Joan La Barbara and Michael Riesman about the original experience in the 1970s.Plus Tom celebrates the 70th birthday of the English composer, arranger and prod