I said in my 'anniversary' thread that it was due to hearing Nicola on a television programme that I started noodling around with Dad's violin then bought one and took lessons etc etc. so I suppose I'm a bit of a fan...
.. but she really is gorgeous and WHAT a talent! She's actually much prettier too in real life too and so elegant. She was wearing a lovely dusky pink dress and I thought she looked very 'young' too.. not overdone with make-up or anything, with her hair tied in a simple clip and loose down her back. She also managed to convey her performance with such dignity that it felt quite an honour to listen to her - and she seemed to genuinely appreciate the applause and had such a radiant smile, unlike some performers who take applause for granted.
But the music! She played the Bruch concerto and it was absolutely stunning! She has such control it's quite scary and had an entire hall of hundreds of people utterly mesmerised! Then she played the Vaughan Williams 'Lark Ascending' which I must admit is not my favourite piece of music but she made it sound incredibly and beautifully bird-like. I can't explain the beauty of her playing - every note was considered and placed exactly as she wanted it, nothing was thrown to chance, and her range was so mature and intense that I was quite speechless.. as was the whole hall. Applause didn't seem to be enough to show our appreciation at the end! Then, as an encore, she introduced and played a movement from one of the Bach sonatas.
We very rarely get the chance to hear playing like this in Aberdeen and the hall was packed out. I'm so grateful she came up here to play and if you get the chance go and hear her.. I think she's going to have a truly outstanding career and make it up there with the 'greats'.
Ho hum.. back to my grade 3 pieces tomorrow...
But what was also very nice was to watch and listen to him playing the viola and the electric violin (and also watching him dance the tango! 
It looked so big on him as I'm so used to see him playing the violin