Andy Salmon CMG OBE
Major-General Andy Salmon CMG OBE, spent 36 years in the Royal Marines and is a former Commandant General, Head of Service. He served in many global conflicts, including The Troubles, The Falklands War, Angola, Sierra Leone, The Balkans and Iraq. Three tours of duty in Iraq spanned 19 years: from 1991 and the Kurdish humanitarian crisis, to 2003 in the Green Zone, Baghdad, and to 2008/9 when he was the last British General in Basra, closing down the UK Campaign. He retired from the services in 2013.
Andy is a popular contributor to podcasts, print and broadcast media, including Sky TV, Dan Snow, London Live, BBC, Channel 4 etc.
He now produces, directs and narrates the Journey through Conflict events. Uniquely fusing story, live music, art and culture, he helps those affected by some sort of conflict, go on an inspiring journey to get through it, and find peace and reconciliation.
Iraq
Tom Donald
Australian Pianist and Film Composer
Australian-born classically trained pianist Tom Donald is regarded as a leading music innovator in today’s post-jazz/classical fusion music genres in concert and on screen. Now based in London, Tom has performed in many venues such as Abbey Road Studios, Hackney Empire, National Opera Studio, BBC Maida Vale Studios, Ronnie Scott’s, Dubai Film Festival and from 2020 a residency at The Shard, London. In 2021 Sky TV Showcase broadcast Tom’s performances globally on 40 channels. He has recently been interviewed on BBC Radio 3 by Jess Gillam (This Classical Life) and Katie Derham (In Tune).
As a composer of scores for films, Tom’s soundtracks have won acclaim throughout North America, Europe and The Middle East, including Haider Rashid’s Tangled Up In Blue and Koutiba Al-Janabi’s Leaving Baghdad.
Ismail Y Ginwalla MBE
Local Muslim Community Leader
Ismail is a member of the Muslim community in Gloucester and has lived in the county of Gloucestershire since 1965. He has worked in local government for 38 years and sits on the boards of various local and national charities. He is a Trustee of the Convalescent Fluck Fund, which donates grants to those women with children living in Gloucester, who are suffering from illness and facing hardship.
Ismail speaks English, Gujarati, Arabic, Urdu and Hindi. He supports multi-faith initiatives, to enhance the understanding of different faiths and cultures amongst communities. His community work aims to create cohesion within communities, so that people work together to find common ground.
Ismail regularly performs around the country, the call to prayer for Karl Jenkins’ millennium piece, “The Armed Man.”
He is married with four children, enjoys travelling, reading, swimming, gardening and world politics. Ismail was made MBE in 2004, for services to the community in Gloucester.
Nawroz Oramari
Kurdish Singer
Growing up in troubled Iraqi Kurdistan, as a 17 year old singer Nawroz had to flee his homeland where he faced the threat of execution for singing songs critical of the harsh regime of Saddam Hussein. After years in exile in Syria, Lebanon and Turkey, he finally settled in the UK. Former Peshmurga fighter Nawroz now shares his haunting indigenous music, bringing exquisite and unique vocals to our soundscape.
Beck Donaldson
Project Manager
Beck is a founding Trustee of the Cheltenham Christian Arts Festival and Journey Through Conflict. She works with artists and musicians to produce a diverse range of inspiring performances throughout the UK. Former organ scholar and Theology tutor at University of Gloucestershire, Beck leads worship in churches throughout the Cotswolds where she also presents free classical music coffee concerts.
If you would like further information about the performances and work of Journey Through Conflict, please contact Beck at info@journeythroughconflict.org
WW1 - From Then Until Now
Nicholas McCarthy
One-handed Pianist
Nicholas McCarthy was born without his right hand in 1989.
Having once been told that he would never succeed as a concert pianist, Nicholas would not be discouraged and went on to study at the prestigious Royal College of Music in London. His graduation in 2012 marked him as the first one-handed pianist to graduate from the college in its 135 year history.
Nicholas has performed in notable venues all over the world and his concert performances, recordings and media features have all gained critical acclaim.
One of Nicholas's proudest moments was performing at the Closing Ceremony of the 2012 Paralympic games.
Dr N J Grace OBE
Music Consultant & Conductor
Nick retired from the Royal Marines in 2017 as the Principal Director of Music and the nation’s senior military musician. His extensive 35 year career included serving onboard HM Yacht Britannia, operational duty in Iraq and leading major national and international ceremonial events. He has made numerous recordings and conducted the world première performance of the restored film ‘The Battles of Coronel and Falkland Islands’. He conducted the stage orchestra for the BAFTA winning ‘Queen’s 90th Birthday Celebration’ and regularly led the international massed bands at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Awarded the OBE and a Doctorate of Musical Arts in 2013 he is now a freelance music consultant and conductor.
Dan Elliot
Social Historian
Dan’s passion is remembrance of the men and women that took part in the “war to end all wars”. Dan, along with Al Webb RM, co-founded Old Soldier Media with a mission to give the Great War an immediacy not always found in contemporary images and literature. He works with the veteran support organisation Rock2Recovery, spreading awareness of its work and advising on mental health within the military. Dan has written and will be performing the opening monologue.
Maurillia Simpson
Veteran
“One day I will be a soldier and live where the Queen lives,” a 7yr old Maurillia told her mother. During 13 years as an Army Driver Communication Specialist in the Royal Logistics Corps, she completed three Operational tours of Iraq. During preparations to serve in Afghanistan she was medically discharged in 2013 after an RTA. Sporting achievements have included reserve GB 2012 Paralympics, athlete in Warrior Games 2013 and winning a Gold and Silver medal at the first Invictus Games 2014. Using theatre as a form of rehabilitation and hope for injured veterans Maurillia was a cast member of “The Two Worlds of Charlie F”, touring the UK and Canada. Music and song continue to give her joy, being part of projects like Gareth Malone’s Invictus Games Choir singing for Michelle Obama and for millions on BBC Sports Personality 2016. She is also a member of Gospability choir formed for the celebrations of Prince Harry and Meghan’s celebrations.
Richard Rochester
Former Royal Marine and Artist
Commissioned to produce a visual backdrop to the performance, Richard graduated in Fine Art from Exeter College of Art and Design in 1991. Keen for adventure, he joined the Army a few months later and began an 18 year military career, initially as an army infantry officer and later as a Royal Marine. Travelling widely he served operationally in Bosnia Herzegovina, Northern Ireland, Sierra Leone and Afghanistan. Leaving in 2012 he briefly ran a veterans’ charity project before focusing his full attention on art, now working from his home studio in Exeter.
Mark Warren
Mark Warren is a story and communications director, scriptwriter and copywriter with extensive experience in performance, TV, advertising and digital.
He has worked with Andy Salmon on a range of projects including Journey Through Conflict, Iraq. As creative consultant for story and performance his role in From Then Until Now has been to help the team shape and tell their own individual, inspiring personal stories.
Pat Davies
Veteran
Born in 1923 Pat (nee Owtram) was 16 when war broke out and joined the WRNS in 1942. A special duties linguist, she was posted to Hellfire Corner in Kent to listen into German naval radio, transmitting what she heard from U Boats and E Boats to the Royal Navy and Bletchley Park. She remembers being under fire in the watch room and the strain of her Lt Colonel father being a Far East POW. Pat signed the Official Secrets Act in Wartime, not discussing her role even with her sister until decades later. Post War Pat fulfilled her ambitions and studied at St Andrew's, Oxford and Harvard universities. As a TV producer for Granada and BBC she worked on notable programmes such as University Challenge, The Sky at Night etc.
Jon White
Veteran
Jon White was injured by an IED while serving as a Captain with 40 Commando Royal Marines in Afghanistan, and as a consequence lost both legs above the knee and his right arm at his elbow. His high level of skill and physical fitness has allowed him to be a full time prosthetics user, not using a wheelchair since June 2011. He has launched a management consultancy in building projects, and proven his skill by project managing the construction of his own home which featured in Channel 4’s ‘Grand Designs’. An inspirational speaker and executive coach.