It is hard to believe that one man could have had so much influence on the musical life not only of the United Kingdom, but of Europe and beyond. Yet the pages of this delightful memoir reveal the extent to which John Manduell's extraordinary vision, his willingness to venture into unknown territory, his ability to think the unthinkable, his wisdom and his persuasiveness have helped to raise the profile of music in so many areas. This is the man who established the Music Programme at the BBC, who created a Music Department at the new University of Lancaster, who became Founder Principal of one of the UK's most exciting conservatoires, the Royal Northern College of Music, who was Programme Director of the Cheltenham Festival for twenty-six years, who was involved in the setting up of 'El Sistema' in Venezuela, and who served on the Boards of the British Council, the Arts Council, the Association of European Conservatoires, European Music Year, Northern Ballet, the European Opera Centre and Covent Garden - and who still found time to compose. John Manduell writes with clarity, humour, and a disarming modesty, leaving a discussion of his compositions to fellow composer Anthony Gilbert. This volume will give enormous pleasure to those who are interested in learning about one of the leading figures in British and European music in the second half of the twentieth century.