João Luiz Vidal Alves Junior (photo) – better known by his stage name, Junior Vidal – is our guest this week. He is from the Brazilian city of Campos dos Goytacazes, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, and lives in the city of Guarapari, in the state of Espírito Santo. He is a psychologist, musician, singer, songwriter and musical and artistic producer, as well as a volunteer worker at the Allan Kardec Spiritist Group (GEAK). During this interview, he speaks about the live broadcast that will take place on October 30^th to mark twenty years since he began working with Spiritist art.

As someone who was born into a Spiritist family, what memories do you have of your childhood in Spiritism?

My parents were not Spiritists, but they always had an intereste in Spiritism. They used to live next to the Francis of Assisi Spiritist Centre, which also ran a child nursery and a prep school. From the back garden of the house where I was born, my mother could see the children playing in the Spiritist Centre. For my first birthday party, my mother asked to rent an events room they had. The Spiritist Centre agreed, provided no one smoked or drank alcohol during the party. A few days later, my mother, Therezinha Vidal, returned to thank them and that is how our involvement with that Spiritist Centre began. They joined their activities and I joined their children's study groups, where there was a great deal of art involved. Eventually, I became a regular member of their choir.

Where does your passion for music come from?

There was always music playing in our house. My paternal grandfather, José, was an excellent self-taught violinist. I was surrounded by music also in the Spiritist Centre. In the city of Campos, I had the pleasure and the privilege of growing up around great songwriters, who are, to this day, a reference to me.

How important is music to the development of children in Spiritist Centres?

It is essential! Not only music but also other forms of art, which gives people access to their inner self. Art is a tool to educate the Spirit. Through art, we can truly connect with our feelings and appreciate what really touches our emotions. Art opens a philosophical and reflective dialogue that leads to the principles of Spiritism. It prompts us to bring out the best and the most beautiful we have inside us and produces unique and indescribable experiences of love and wisdom. I believe that any form of art focusing on the spiritualisation of people brings to the surface the divine essence we all have inside us.

Tell us more about the live on-line broadcast that will take place on October 30^th.

I will mark 20 years of work with Spiritist Art with a live broadcast on October 20th. I have produced 7 CDs and 2 DVDs along these two decades. During the transmission, we will celebrate Spiritist art as well as the dreams and friendships made during this journey. We will have special guests, including Maurício Keller, Ricardo Sardinha, Cacá Resende, Dani Medina, César Tucci, Moacyr Camargo, Flor de Luz, Abrigo na Arte, João Vitor Ferreira, Jonathan Moreira. On that day we will also launch a special project aimed at developing Spiritist music, called FAMÍLIAS (families). There will be many attractions and surprises during the programme and I invite all of you to join us.

How can our readers take part in the event? What channels do they need to access?

The broadcast will be live on our social media channels (Official YouTube Junior Vidal Channel, Facebook - profile Junior Vidal Oficial – and Fan Page Junior Vidal Música Espírita). It will also be on Esperança, which is a Brazilian TV and radio online channel, Portal da Luz radio, Rede Amigo Espírita TV as well as other channels. It will be a great joy to have everyone together with us.

What role do you think the Spirits who are dedicated to the arts will have on the moral development of the planet?

Light pours in from all sides. We can already spot the first rays of dawn. The trumpets are ready to be played and the lyres are being tuned. Since the year 2000, there’s been a boom in Spirituality and an awakening towards a meaningful life led by Spiritist arts. The spiritual revolution and the process of human transformation that we are going through are part of a re-energising wave that is directly connected to the arts and to Spiritist arts in particular. Many artists and producers have been involved in new, serious projects dedicated to the enlightenment of human beings. How many books, songs, choreographies, paintings, poems, sculptures and stage productions are yet to come up to contribute towards this process of regeneration of the soul, of human relations and the planet? Let’s carry on!