Dr. Rexleign Bunyard is a South African musician and composer with an entrepreneurial spirit. She was the first African woman composer to write an opera libretto and music, and to orchestrate and conduct it. With a multi-faceted approach to music and education for over 30 years, she calls on a wide range of musical influences, knowledge and perspectives. Instilling a love for music in youth of all ages, and unlocking their talent and potential in this regard, which has been the central focus of her life’s work and commitment.

Rexleigh’s PhD music thesis (submitted in addition to a portfolio of compositions) embraced musical theatre: Archetypal symbols and how these are represented in musical discourse in selected Hero theme musicals of the 20th century.

Rexleigh promotes a more compassionate and hopeful society via the arts. Since 2007, she has generated and implemented cross-cultural initiatives for, project-managed and steered a non-profit arts-in-service-of-community public benefit organisation, called Requiem for the Living (RFTL), which has portfolios in Arts Education, Health and Environment.

A resident in the UK since 2020, Rexleigh has received an invitation from an international botanist-mathematician, Dr Johan Gielis of Antwerp University, (Wikipedia) to participate in a unique international research collaboration involving arts and sciences, featuring her musical composition. She has been a strong advocate for equality, diversity and inclusion, and also for including the arts in health and wellbeing, as evidenced in her 2013 opera Lost in a Bluebell Wood, which raises awareness of differently-abled people and the challenges they face.

On this episode, we discuss art and leadership, how a multi-disciplinary approach to life may enable leaders to develop compassion and better see opportunities from obstacles. We also take a look at the limitless interconnections between art and wellbeing and what leaders like Dr. Rexleigh Bunyard are doing to bring more awareness through a love for music and various possible levels of engagement in current human hot topics.

Emulate the good, avoid the bad, and have some fun as you listen, learn and embrace your unique journey as a leader.