It was so good to get out on Friday and do some work. I was able to work as I had some prep work to do for a landscaping job I'm just starting so it didn't matter that there was still snow on the ground. I think it was and probably still is too cold to do any "proper" gardening.
But it was great to be outside in the air breathing fully and using some muscles, bending my back and .... yes working.
Tuesday, 14 December 2010
Sunday, 12 December 2010
This concert is now in it's second edition
Tonight we repeated last Saturday's Christmas Praise concert, this time at All Soul's Church in Langham Place. Again we started with the Saint Saens Organ Symphony, and as we were playing this it struck me that this is about as much fun as it is possible to have, certainly for a heavy brass player like myself there is not much that I can do that is more fun (these days with or without my clothes on).
With Graham Kendrick as a guest of the Orchestra it also struck me just how special the All Soul's Orchestra is, our guests are great stars in their field but they just join in with the rest of us, somehow we have a unity of purpose that I don't quite find with any other ensemble I play with. Don't get me wrong I get an enormous amount of pleasure from all my playing, but there is just something a bit special about ASO. I think this is illustrated by the fact that I went for a quick pint after the concert with my friend who leads the second violins. In most orchestras there is no way that a violin would even talk to a tuba player, ( "Fiddle! fiddle indeed, you will kindly address us as violins!")
Did I mention that Graham Kendrick was our guest? tomorrow morning I will be playing for a service at a local Methodist Church and we will be singing "Shine Jesus Shine" and it will be really difficult not to keep thinking "last night I was singing this standing next to Graham Kendrick" (who wrote it) I still might just mention it to the rest of the worship band though.............
With Graham Kendrick as a guest of the Orchestra it also struck me just how special the All Soul's Orchestra is, our guests are great stars in their field but they just join in with the rest of us, somehow we have a unity of purpose that I don't quite find with any other ensemble I play with. Don't get me wrong I get an enormous amount of pleasure from all my playing, but there is just something a bit special about ASO. I think this is illustrated by the fact that I went for a quick pint after the concert with my friend who leads the second violins. In most orchestras there is no way that a violin would even talk to a tuba player, ( "Fiddle! fiddle indeed, you will kindly address us as violins!")
Did I mention that Graham Kendrick was our guest? tomorrow morning I will be playing for a service at a local Methodist Church and we will be singing "Shine Jesus Shine" and it will be really difficult not to keep thinking "last night I was singing this standing next to Graham Kendrick" (who wrote it) I still might just mention it to the rest of the worship band though.............
Thursday, 9 December 2010
Good Morning
Good Morning! the sun is out, the snow is melting, I may be able to do some work today!
Tuesday, 7 December 2010
Saturday Night's Concert
Not sure why it's taken this long for me to comment on this concert, it was a great night and I am sure that both the performers and the audience got a lot out of it. This was my first proper Christmas concert so maybe I am reluctant to bring Christmas on too soon.
The All Souls Orchestra, the Christmas Praise Choir, Graham Kendrick, and Michelle Todd came together under the baton of Noel Tredinnick at Croydon's Fairfield hall. The programme started with the finale from Saint -Saens' Organ Symphony and concluded with Leroy Anderson's Sleigh Ride, via some of Nutcracker, a few of the Carnival of the Animals, a good selection of Christmas worship songs and the Chicken Reel.
The Fairfield is a great hall, as well as being my local hall it is still one of the best in the UK, it is always a joy to me to play here, it is so familiar yet still manages to be a special event each time. Added to that it is a real privilege to be on the same platform as such special talents as Graham Kendrick and Michelle Todd
Graham Kendrick
The All Souls Orchestra, the Christmas Praise Choir, Graham Kendrick, and Michelle Todd came together under the baton of Noel Tredinnick at Croydon's Fairfield hall. The programme started with the finale from Saint -Saens' Organ Symphony and concluded with Leroy Anderson's Sleigh Ride, via some of Nutcracker, a few of the Carnival of the Animals, a good selection of Christmas worship songs and the Chicken Reel.
The Fairfield is a great hall, as well as being my local hall it is still one of the best in the UK, it is always a joy to me to play here, it is so familiar yet still manages to be a special event each time. Added to that it is a real privilege to be on the same platform as such special talents as Graham Kendrick and Michelle Todd
Graham Kendrick
Michelle Todd
We will be repeating the concert next Saturday at All Souls Church with a different audience and choir, but I am sure it will still be a "joyous sound"
This is the best thing I do
Monday, 6 December 2010
Still Cold
Yep it's still freezing here, cold enough that I can't think of any useful work I can do as a gardener, so staying at home again to day, catching up an a bit of admin, and stuff.
Ever since this snow began, my wife has done nothing but stand there looking through the window, if it gets any worse I shall have to let her in! Thanks to "The Now Show" for that last one
Ever since this snow began, my wife has done nothing but stand there looking through the window, if it gets any worse I shall have to let her in! Thanks to "The Now Show" for that last one
Friday, 3 December 2010
More snow
What can I say, more snow, more cold and it looks like it's here to stay, into next week at the least. I have now got to the point where I just want to get back to work and make some money.
Last night we had a rehearsal for tomorrow night's Christmas Praise, the orchestra was a little thin on the ground so I hope everyone can make it OK tomorrow. There are still some tickets left and available through the Fairfield box office http://www.fairfield.co.uk/showInfo.php?showid=15785 If you can't make that then we do the whole thing again next Saturday at All Souls Church - link at the side.
Saturday mornings performance with the Brass Band has been cancelled, so that's a little time pressure removed, but to be honest we could with both the exposure and the money. Sorry not a very cheerful post today, I'm getting a bit fed up with pretty white, I'm ready for some boring grey now.
Last night we had a rehearsal for tomorrow night's Christmas Praise, the orchestra was a little thin on the ground so I hope everyone can make it OK tomorrow. There are still some tickets left and available through the Fairfield box office http://www.fairfield.co.uk/showInfo.php?showid=15785 If you can't make that then we do the whole thing again next Saturday at All Souls Church - link at the side.
Saturday mornings performance with the Brass Band has been cancelled, so that's a little time pressure removed, but to be honest we could with both the exposure and the money. Sorry not a very cheerful post today, I'm getting a bit fed up with pretty white, I'm ready for some boring grey now.
Thursday, 2 December 2010
Another snow bound day
Yep another white out! It is nice to have some time off, the usual trouble though is when I have time, there is money, when I have money I have no time. Now add to that I can't get out and do the things I want to do when not working.
Still it does give me an opportunity to get on with some practise! no excuses really work now. Last night's band rehearsal was cancelled, and of course Monday was stick waving, so I haven't had the tuba out much. We have an ASO rehearsal this evening in Central London and I should be able to get there OK, it will be nice to see some non relations and play some music with other people.
Daughter still home from school as well so at least I have some company.
Still it does give me an opportunity to get on with some practise! no excuses really work now. Last night's band rehearsal was cancelled, and of course Monday was stick waving, so I haven't had the tuba out much. We have an ASO rehearsal this evening in Central London and I should be able to get there OK, it will be nice to see some non relations and play some music with other people.
Daughter still home from school as well so at least I have some company.
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