Neighbour of Note – Mario Circelli “From Guy Lombardo to Garth Hudson, from Tommy Hunter to Kittie from Marie Bottrell to Denise Pelley and all the great musicians in-between and throughout the decades; there is no doubt in my mind, Londoners make world-class music,” mused Mario Circelli. He would know. He started studying music in elementary school, and began playing in bands in high school, continuing throughout university and college before switching to behind-the-scenes work as an audio engineer and producer. Mario worked in radio and television for almost 25 years, later moving into the communications field. He’s produced or engineered more than 45 records and com- pilation albums, and co-founded the London Music Awards and London Music Hall of Fame. He names his music performance highlights as opening for the Pursuit of Happiness , 3 O’clock Train and Blue Peter . “Sharing a stage with hundreds of amazing musicians from the London and region music scene and being a part of that scene was tremendously special,” he remarks. “We were a community, sharing gigs, sharing gear and supporting each other. Those folks were/are so talented, I knew they would be at home on a stage anywhere in the world. Some of them went on to prominence outside of our area. Another highlight would be opening in Toronto for The Pandoras, who were an American all- female punk band from Los Angeles. The band was among the first all-female rock bands to ever be signed to a major label. We played in front of 3500 people in Toronto and it was glorious.” But it’s his work at the Digital Creative Arts Centre at BGC London that Mario has found most rewarding. “We are, in a small way, helping youth to find their passion. Helping to spark creativity and watch the students grow swells my heart. It brings meaning to what I do. Watching students interact with
each other and form bonds helps me see that, in a small way, we are building community. Those things are more important than the many thank-you notes I get. Although they are very much appreciated,” he says. “The inspiration for the Digital Creative Arts Centre came from my realization that all these art forms (digital media) are interconnected. I was taught in Journalism school that we need to be specialists. One would be a writer, camera person, editor or reporter. Technology has merged all these disciplines. Today people need to understand camera work and shot composition, editing and often do their own research, writing and on-camera work.” Partnering with 28 schools across London and area, the Digital Arts Centre provides hands-on learning co-op opportunities to more than 200 students annually. Providing career-focused training in digital arts, the Centre issues more than 150 Specialist High Skill Major (SHSM) certifications every year.
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Page 8 Wortley Villager • December 2025
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