Yeh sure, Very Pretty

Yeh sure, very pretty were my first thoughts this morning when I looked out of the window. I know some people get excited at the prospect of some snow, it's just that I'm not one of them when I would rather be out doing some work, earning some money.

The few from my back door this morning

For the last couple of weeks I have been worried that I have taken on too much work, and have begun to slip behind schedule, now I will be losing at least another full day, by the look of the forecast it could well be the rest of the week. I shall try to look on the bright side and take it as a opportunity to do some practise for the plethora of concerts coming up, and catch up with some paperwork.........

Hey ho nothing I can do about it so might as well make the most it.

The Organ Symphony

We are playing the last movement of the Saint Saens 2nd symphony, the Organ, at Christmas Praise this year. I have been playing this piece regularly every second year or so over the last 35 years, so when I saw it in the pad thought "no problem", then I looked at the dots and a rather worrying thought dawned on the rather slow Goodwin mind, I've never seen this before!


I don't know how it's happened but I think that every time I've played this great work I have been on my second instrument - Bass Trombone. That's no bad thing since there is a major Bass Trombone solo in the last movement (Bass Trombone solo, not a phrase you come across very often), but none the less very surprising since I still, and always have played a lot more tuba than trombone.


We are playing the concert at both the Fairfield Hall in Croydon and at All Soul's Church Langham place, and since the Fairfield is my "home" hall I am looking forward to this as something of a high point for this Christmas.....more will follow

regular posting

I read a few blogs written by other people, and I am in awe of their ability to make regular, interesting and varied posts. There are a couple who make me feel totally inadequate and question why I do this.

Of course I know the reason why I do this, it is to inflate my own ego! why else would I think that other people would be interested in my verbal wanderings? Well I hope that very soon there will be some more before and after photos as well as reports on concerts I play in. I think it's all very interesting even if no one else does

It all starts now

I am majorly busy these days, not just with the day job (which is good news indeed at this time of the year) but with music making as well, I just had a quick count up and I have 8 performances as well as my Church Carol Service and going out caroling around the Parish.

Just a few quick lines (Presto agitato) to let you all know I'm alive before dashing up to Town for an ASO Rehearsal.

Weekends

It's been a long and tiring weekend, but basically a good one. went abroad to Wales to visit my mother - good - meant I was away from wife and daughter - bad - saw eldest bother - good - spent ages sitting in traffic - bad - got home so late daughter and wife in bed - bad:

Hey ho, another week starts over and above work something on every night this coming week, by Saturday I shall be wasted. - and all I want to do is a bit a tuba practise...................

Another day another concert

On Tuesday night I was out with the London Charity Orchestra, we were playing a concert in aid of the Charlie Waller Memorial Trust http://www.cwmt.org/ a charity active in the area of mental health, specifically depression, they do a lot of excellent work, and I think the whole orchestra is both glad and proud to be associated with them.

The venue was St Johns Smith Square, a decommissioned church within a stones throw of parliament, it has been tastefully and effectively adapted for use as a concert hall, and has become one of the more prestigious central London venues.

Playing Bass Trombone I was involved in two pieces, a selection from the Gadfly Suite, and Tchaik 5. While I have played the Tchaikovsky many times the Schostakovich was totally new to me, and due to a strained rehearsal schedule I ended up sight reading the first movement on the stand. That always adds to the excitment! Now I have played this piece I know it to be a fine work, and I will be seeking out a recording, any suggestions?

The Tchaikovsky was the piece that first made take up the Bass Trombone, playing with my youth orchestra I commented to the tutor that it was a shame that none of the trombones we had were proper basses, but that we ended up with the best tenors on first, the next best on second and the beginners on third. In this symphony all three parts are equally important, indeed I think the Bass has more solos than the first. Well half an hour later the Tutor comes back with a Yamaha student Bass Trombone, gives it to me and tells me that I'm playing it in the concert at the end of the week. I did play in the concert, and wasn't the worst there, but I think I have made some substantial progress in the intervening #* years.

This was an excellent concert, well played and well programmed, the LCO has one of the best string sections of any of the non professional orchestras in London, and a very fine conductor in Will Carslake (and I havn't been paid to say that -- yet)

It is always a joy to play with this Orchestra, at this venue, and then have a pint or three at the Marquise of Granby afterwards.

Hairy Situation

Those of you who actually know me will know that for most of the last 25 years I have worn a beard, sometimes it changes shape a bit, but it has been a pretty constant companion. Just before going on holiday last month I decided to get my hair cut short and shave off the beard, a bit of a shock to the system and to those around me.

Well we duly went away and for once I got a tan on all of my face, as soon as we as reasonable after we got home out came the new toy for a blow, I went through my normal warm up procedure, and made an interesting discovery I could get pedals! The main concern I had with this tuba was that I couldn't get the pedals, but lose the beard and there they are. I have no explanation for this so if anyone can come up with one I'll be in your debt.

Remembrance

First sorry not to have posted for quite a while, since getting back from our short holiday things have been quite frantic, work has been busy which is of course something of a relieve as the winter draws closer, but there also seems to have been an awful lot on with other commitments, not least rehearsals for my various bands and orchestras.

This morning the Croydon Brass Band played for the remembrance service on HMS Belfast, she is a second world war cruiser, now permanently moored on the Thames between Tower Bridge and London Bridge. As part of the Imperial War Museum and home of the London Sea Cadets this service does not warrant a full Marines Band so Croydon have been playing for it for at least 30 years now. Although I have played many times this is the first year I have conducted the Band for this service. Over the last few years I was getting a little worried that we were beginning to take the whole thing a little casually, we have been playing the same selection as long as I can remember and maybe not very well recently. So this year I made a few changes to the pieces and rehearsed what we were to play.

HMS Belfast

There was an excellent attendance at the service, and I think the Band played at their best. The ceremony was very moving, and this was enhanced by two of our cornet players doing an excellent job of the last post and reveille. After the service I received many favorable comments from members of the congregation, all in all a very encouraging morning.

Home!

Well we had a great time, enjoyed the sun and some serious (or maybe frivolous) relaxing by the pool as well as a couple of more cultural trips. So we have returned bronzed and refreshed - could have done with another week though - I promise lots of photos and reports, before falling back fully into the work/music/church round.

A view form Medina, the old capital of Malta, known as the silent city.