Miranda Hinkley studied Anthropology at Cambridge and Music at SOAS, where she became founding director of OpenAir Radio, a London station broadcasting international music, culture and analysis. After assisting BBC world music DJ Charlie Gillett, she spent several years at Discovery creating digital content and public engagement strategies for leading international museums and heritage sites. Founder of Nightjar, she continues to write, present and produce on a wide range of topics across music, the arts and culture. She recently presented a biography of composer Mikis Theodorakis for BBC Radio 3 and produced the series World Class Brass for BBC Radio 2. Miranda is also a professional presenter and voice artist.

Michele Banal studied classical and jazz music in Italy, as well as Political Science at the University of Milan, focussing on music and political protest in America. After working in human rights, he moved to London, where he completed a Masters in Ethnomusicology at SOAS. He’s working on a film documentary on Malian music and was the Assistant Producer on episodes of the World Class Brass series for BBC Radio 2.

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Associates:

Imani Wilson studied Literature at Columbia University and received an MA in African Studies at SOAS. Based in New York, she is a writer and cultural critic with a special interest in music, culinary arts, faith traditions, fashion and visual culture. In her work as an independent scholar, Wilson has conducted extensive research on global African arts, culture and religion in Morocco, Egypt, Cuba, Brasil, Angola, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago, New Orleans, Holland and the Indian states of Rajasthan and Gujarat. Imani was Assitant Producer on Episode 3: Trinidad, World Class Brass.

 Jonathan Walton studied at Oxford, Gnessin Conservatory of Music, Moscow and SOAS, where he was a founding member of OpenAir Radio. Passionate about music and politics, he writes for national press and has reported on music and censorship for Freemuse. Once composer and front-man for Oi Va Voi, he continues to compose and produce music for TV, theatre and film. He has broadcast on the BBC World Service English and Russian services, as well as CBC and Scandinavian television networks. Jon recently produced episodes of World Class Brass for BBC Radio 2.

Paul Ford studied Media Production at Bournemouth University, under the country’s first Professor of Radio, Sean Street, where he presented and produced shows for student station Nerve FM.  He went on to head up the studio team at Antenna Audio, a leading provider of mobile interpretation for the cultural and heritage sectors.  Now running Paul Ford Sound, he contributes the sound design to many of Nightjar’s arts and heritage projects.

Luke Branston is studying History at SOAS. He has worked at the BBC African Service, written for the African Music magazine ‘Africa on Your Street’ and is currently working at SOAS Radio (formerly OpenAir). His musical and cultural interest spans the Afro-Carribean diaspora, stemming from a lifelong fascination with Jamaican Music. He wastes a lot of time searching for vinyl records and occasionally plays the odd DJ set. Luke recently applied his ears and hands to the music selection for World Class Brass.