So many accolades have been heaped on to Sir James Galway that he could be forgiven for being a tad aloof being interviewed by someone who has a schoolgirl knowledge of Mozart's music, who can play no musical instrument and can only really aspire to enjoying Classical FM.

He has enjoyed a fabulous career, almost rags-to-riches -style, of progressing from playing a penny whistle as a child in his native Belfast to being the Man with the Golden Flute'.

But Sir James has no trace of pomposity he is a joy to talk to and his verve and passion for his music sizzle down the telephone line as we chat. If you have watched him perform, that twinkle in his eye magically transmits to his lyrical, very fast speaking voice.

This year is the 250th anniversary of Mozart's birth and the Galway diary has been bursting with concerts reflecting this exciting event.

Croydon's resident orchestra at Fairfield, the London Mozart Players (LMP) have Sir James conducting and performing with them in the Concert Hall on May 13. It's a special honour to have.

"Oh, I love Fairfield," says Sir James, "What a beautiful concert hall. It's marvellous to perform there."

His appearances at the venue have been regular sell-outs going back several decades. His association with the LMP is still fairly new, about four years.

This is the LMP's final concert of the season and sees Mozart's work from 1778/79, when he was in Paris before making his way back to Salzburg.

Apparently Mozart couldn't bear the sound of the flute, but this is hard to tell with the selected programme for this concert.

"I've chosen Mozart's Symphony No 33, K319 and his flute concerto No 2 in D, K314," he says, and then tootles some bars down the phone that I can recognise.

"Mozart was a genius. You know if he'd been alive today he would have been addicted to Sudoku. It's the way his brain would operate. He could compose music in sections and then suddenly it would all come together in a concerto," says Sir James. "He was great at putting things together. His chamber music is great, he would turn up with a viola and would play second viola with his string orchestra. He had humour and that's part of the magic, along with craftsmanship and passion."

The internationally-renowned flautist has been acclaimed as being a genius himself.

He crosses all boundaries, playing with rock and pop acts as well as classical friends. He is a legend, but remains accessible.

His website is brilliant and shows his charming sense of fun. The photograph of the London house where Mozart lived from 1756 to 1791 and wrote his first symphony in 1764 is captioned with: "That is not his Honda parked outside".

He is modest about his achievements and is an artist who, with his wife Lady Jeanne, gives something back to the community.

This is at grass roots level and where he believes he can make a difference.

Sir James is a tireless promoter of the arts and humanitarian who is a special representative for UNICEF.

He is president of Flutewise, a volunteer-based, non-profit-making organisation that encourages young flute players all over the world.

Indeed, before his concert at Fairfield on May 13, Flutewise has a pre-concert event at 6.15pm.

Sir James and Lady Jeanne will be on stage with about 30 young flautists, playing their flutes and working with the children and answering questions.

On this date Lady Jeanne will not be performing with her husband in the main concert programme, although a new work by David Overton, The Magic Flutes, has been featured in some concert dates with the Galways playing together.

Sir James is sharing the spotlight at Fairfield with young harpist Catrin Finch as the programme includes Mozart's flute and harp concerto, K299.

As enthusiastic as Sir James is about encouraging youngsters to be interested in music, he is equally vehement in his opposition to swingeing cuts that are often made in the arts grants and budgets.

He views it as "short sighted".

"I'd like to ask some of these councils and people who decide to cut arts grants if they want a world to emerge that is devoid of culture?" he says "There is money misplaced, no kidding."

A passionate message from a man that is truly passionate about his craft.

- Sir James Galway with LMP Fairfield Concert Hall
Saturday, May 13, 7.30pm
£9.50 to £27 020 8688 9291
www.fairfield.co.uk