A Good Thing

Most of the time we just potter through life getting on with our own little lives, but every now and then we get the chance to do something, to stand up get noticed and influence people, to do something important.   For most people most often this will happen when it is something that effects us directly, but as a musician every now and then we have the opportunity to do something important.  

Last weekend a few members of the Croydon Band had one of those opportunities.    We were asked to play at an event in Croydon Town centre for IDAHO, that is the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia.   A selection of gay, and trans groups combined with some local Churches to promote freedom within diversity.   Freedom from violence, abuse, and prejudice.   I'm not sure how much effect this first local event will have, but there did appear to be some conversations being had and notice was taken.

I don't know whether the band will be back next year but I will be as it seems to me that this is A Good Thing

Every Silver Lining has a Cloud

I know I have talked about the value of having something to look forward to, I have looking forward to an orchestra rehearsal on Sunday, so that I can start to familiarise myself with the music we will be playing and get some serious playing done on the trombone again.   Since I am not a bank I have only just worked out that Monday is a Bank Holiday, the rest of the week is half term, so no orchestra Rehearsal on Sunday and no Band rehearsal on Wednesday.   Foolishly I have arranged to work on Saturday and have one appointment on Monday, I think I will try to rearrange Monday so we can go out together and watch the sprints at Crystal Palace.

It seems that as a family we rarely get to do much together, of course at the moment much of our emotional energy is absorbed by the GCSE exams, that will then be replaced by performances by one or the other of my daughter or me, to go out as a family together and just enjoy the day will be good.

Having said all that without the rehearsals I was expecting I shall have to do at least some practise, and I do need some time off.   Not sure how I am going to engineer that, maybe I should just wait and see if it rains, and then sort out my silver lining

Go on, yo know you want to

I have actually been doing a fair bit of playing recently, lots of practise / rehearsal on trombone for a concert in a couple of weeks, and a bit on the electric bass for services at Church, and of course my regular nights at CSB on tuba.

I have taken a plunge that I meant to make months ago, I have resigned as MD of the Brass Band, although I have enjoyed the job enormously and found the musical challenge very stimulating, I just don't have the time for the commitment, sometimes family is just more important.

Valuable Tips

No matter how experienced, or competent a performer we may be we can always do with learning from the valuable experience of others.

These are all from one of my favourite cartoon strips 9 Chickweed Lane.

We have been having a busy performance based week, on Wednesday my Daughter had a public run through of the song she would be singing at her audition for the BRIT school, on Thursday I had a Brass Band Concert, then on Friday my Daughter had her audition.

Today we will be going down to Brighton to buy her a new guitar, then tomorrow I will be playing Electric Bass at the morning service, before dashing up to London for an Orchestra rehearsal.

Frustration

This weather has really been getting to me.   As always this is a difficult time of year for a gardeners, but this year I do seem to be particularly short of funds, I have work in hand but nothing really substantial, rather than any one big job I have quite a few small ones, but this does mean that although I should be earning wages (when I can work) but nothing or not much in the way of profit.

However trying to be positive I have been able to do a bit of practice, mostly on Trombone, and catch up with a bit of admin, I have to say that my heart isn't in it though.   At least it's better than when I was trying to ply my trade as a pro musician, I remember one year with no work at all from new years eve till Valentines day, now that was tough.

A day at the Museum

We had a little more snow on Wednesday, not much but it certainly didn't do much in the way of aiding the thaw, so yesterday morning once again I looked out and saw settled snow, with the same again this morning, not much but enough to stop me doing any of the work I have in hand, as well as the lack of income I am beginning to get stir crazy, I need to get out and dig, chop, or lop something. I find it very depressing and frustrating when I have work to do, customers waiting, but the weather won't allow it. It is quite nice to have the time off, but when it's not my plan, when I am not in control, not making the choice then it gets very frustrating. And, I need the money to be coming in, especially with income tax due at the end of the month.

At least we did get out for a bit yesterday, as it was my wife's birthday she took the day off and we spent a pleasant couple of hours visiting the Horniman museum. We particularly like the aquarium and the musical instrument gallery, but there is a pretty eclectic collection here, based on the original Horniman collection donated to Londoners back in 1901. It was nice to just spend a bit of time together, just the two of us, no daughter or Mother craving attention, no customers needing stuff done.


After that she went to visit her mother in Hospital (knee replacement) and then we had a nice dinner and a bottle of wine at home. So not such a bad day really ~ if I could just get some work done.

And a Pie !?

I think I have played in this section

Well we have got to the middle of January and I am trying to stick to my resolutions, but it is not as easy as I had hoped, of course if they were easy then I would have been doing them anyway.   I am pleased to be able to say that I have been doing some practise, but so far only on trombone, and I have managed to tune the van radio into Classic FM as well as Radio 4.

I am concentrating more on teh trombone as my next couple of gigs on bass trombone, and I need to build up a bit more strength in my lip, and develop my tone.   So back to basics lots of long note practise and some basic solid studies.