Wednesday 26 November 2008

The performance project that put Stravinsky's Rite of Spring and Elgar's Enigma Variations is over; we recorded the last notes yesterday. It was going so well that we actually finished a full half-hour early. It was going so well that if they'd asked me to stay an hour later, I gladly would have done so! I think I enjoyed that project more than any other orchestral project in which I've been involved during my time at Trinity. I certainly learned a huge amount, which is why I'm here in the first place.

Now that I have a bit more time, I'm working on my arranging coursework (due 4th December), my Year 4 Project (Watch This Space! More News Soon!), my improvisation coursework (due sometime in January) and quite a bit of playing. I'm playing in a lunchtime recital at St. John on Bethnal Green Church on Wednesday, 14th January; on 25th January I'm playing in the Soloists' Competition at Trinity, and on 11th February the Lichtental Trio is playing the Brahms Horn Trio in a lunchtime concert at Southwark Cathedral. Of course there is also an exam to prepare for, and various other bits and pieces, and a whole pile of horn and organ repertoire that I ordered ages ago arrived this morning so there is that to look through as well. Classes are finished for the term but as I've often pointed out, discretionary time and free time are not the same thing and I remain extremely busy.

The next time I'll be performing in public, though, is with the London Gallery Quire on 10th December. Our Christmas Concert is at St George's German Lutheran Church, 55 Alie St, Aldgate E1 8EB, 6.30 for 7.00pm. Tickets are £5 on the door. I'll mostly be singing, but there is one piece where I may play the horn if they'll let me. I've very much enjoyed rehearsing with the choir and I hope I am able to continue in the spring and summer terms when my academic workload will be increased.

Wednesday 19 November 2008

Concert tomorrow

It's been a while since I've updated, I've been madly busy for the last several weeks. I'm hoping to get writing again soon.

In the meantime, do come to the concert tomorrow:
Trinity College of Music Symphony Orchestra
Conductor: Edward Gardner

Stravinsky: Rite of Spring
Elgar: Variations on an Original Theme, Op.36

Thursday 20 November, 7.30pm
Blackheath Halls
£10 (£7 concessions)

Trinity College of Music welcomes for the first time the celebrated conductor Edward Gardner to lead its Symphony Orchestra in a performance of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring and Elgar’s Enigma Variations.

Perhaps not obvious bed-fellows, the music has been specially chosen as part of a major collaboration between Trinity College of Music and BP, for whose centenary film the Symphony Orchestra will be recording the soundtrack.

Depicting the birth of the company quite literally from the earth to its establishment as one of Britain’s giant corporations the music will accompany a major film written and directed by BAFTA/Emmy award-winning screenwriter, novelist and playwright Nigel Williams.

To book please ring the Blackheath Halls Box Office on 020 8463 0100 or online at www.blackheathhalls.com or drop in person to 23 Lee Road, Blackheath, London SE3 9RQ.



(I've stolen the text from the TCM website.)