Sarah Mercer works as head of English Language Teaching and professor of foreign languages at the University of Gratz in Austria. She talks passionately about her love of the countryside and the benefits of 'getting away from it all', relating it it to her professional interest in the psychology of teaching and learning. And there are elephants!…

How do you 'de-compress' when you have a day job that is literally life or death for the people you see? How does GP Dr Angela Bennett maintain such a positive attitude when she has to regularly mediate in the health her patients? Moving and insightful, she is clear-sighted about her responsibilities and about how and why she gets rid of her cares …

World famous pianist, goodwill ambassador for Turkey at UNICEF, garlanded with prizes, Gülsin offers sparkling commentaries on the life of a travelling musician, the joys (and nightmares!) of meeting new conductors for the first time, what makes her 'tick' and what, surprisingly, she does to unwind - PLUS an impromptu live performance of some beaut…

Professor Stephan Chambers, director of the Marshall Institute at the LSE (London School of Economics) amongst other high profile roles, talks with visionary insight, about the way we can change the way that business impacts the world - and what does he do to relax?By Jeremy Harmer

Folk singer and ex-youth worker Pauline Vallance talks, in a moving interview, about her time helping troubled youths, about her background growing up in and around Glasgow, Scotland (where she still lives), and about her transition from having music as a hobby to its role, in her life, as work. She discusses her background and the things that matt…

Music director of the San Francisco Ballet, Martin West, talks about conducting, how he started, his background, and what he likes doing when he's not standing in front of an orchestra and working.By Jeremy Harmer

Judy Juanita, poet, novelist playwright and creative writing teacher talks about her past in the Black Panthers, her childhood and friendships and how she tunes out to make herself even more productive.By Jeremy Harmer

Michael McCarthy, a hugely influential applied linguist, teacher and writer talks movingly about his Cardiff past, his relationship with langauges, and the two things that provide him with a different perspective.By Jeremy Harmer

Chia Suan, ex TV weather girl, and prime time screen actor talks about her career changes, her multi-faceted life, and the surprising new passion where all the stresses of professional and domestic life fade away.By Jeremy Harmer

David Crystal, renowned, world-famous professor of linguistics, talks about his many achievements, how work and the countless projects he gets involved are entirely pleasurable - but also where he finds solace, divinity and the inexpressible.By Jeremy Harmer

Antonio Clare, a teacher and writer in the field of English as a foreign language talks about her unconventional past and how her life has returned to a once-familiar path – and why she got herself a dog! (recorded in a echoey art studio)By Jeremy Harmer

In this inaugural episode of My Hinterland , virtuoso violinist and super looper Steve Bingham talks about his musical inspirations and his background - and about how he spends his time. He reveals how he 'zones out' and how that is where he often has his best ideas.By Jeremy Harmer