Phil and Lily host The Banters without Joe and welcome guest Simon Clark, president of the non-profit cultural association Atelier des Art du Noble Val (founded 2022 in Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val) promoting music and the arts across the region. Simon describes moving to France after buying a property at 50, drawn by the area’s scenery and a barn he converted into a concert/rehearsal space, plus gîtes that help fund retirement. He shares his musical beginnings in a high-standard church boys’ choir, his career path from university singing to overseas travel operations (including Thomas Cook), then retraining as a language teacher and later running language courses. Simon explains forming the association to avoid local politics, outlines year-round programming, and previews upcoming events: a May 10 sacred Italian music concert in Vieux with 60 singers, organ, soloists, and conductor Mark Opstad; Shakespeare productions (Twelfth Night, then The Winter’s Tale); and a July 24 Albi concert by Gérald Toto with live ikebana. The episode ends with “word of the week” and recommendations.

Recommending’s

Phill recommended a programme called HOME which can be found on Apple TV+

Lilly recommended the 2019 version of Upstairs Downstairs starring Keeley Hawes which is on Amazon Prime in France

Simon recommended a singer/guitarist called Gerald Toto https://www.geraldtoto.net/about-gerald-toto/

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Music by Paolo Argento from Pixabay