The realisation that the term has got off to a pretty good start.

Oh, and one of my mums, who brought a lovely tin of chocolate biscuits to say 'thank-you' for changing her son's lesson day. How kind!

Congratulations Nicki, well done!!




Had a great piano lesson tonight and this morning I managed the first draft of my essay on Cleopatra.

Congratulations!

Seeing my young grandson now taking his first steps walking - he will be one next month .

I posted a while back that he liked playing my piano, and now he can reach up to the keyboard if I have left the lid open and start playing. He loves it!

You deserve a hangover - what a cocktail to drink!

What's made me happy? Going to a lovely concert in our town church. The winner of our local "Older musician of the year" played Beethoven's 2nd piano concerto (which was apparently really his first, but given the number 2 because published later than no.1) and he was tremendous! Fantastically fast, smooth runs, and NO mistakes that I noticed. I would so love to be able to play like that as an amateur!

Going to see Les Mis (again! ) with Panthera tonight!

My ticket arrived for Swan Lake

plus i am abnormally happy about a 99p kids chalk board i bought myself to write clarinet practice notes on

Just bought Sibelius 6

Is there a "what's made you unhappy, today" thread, where I can post that I'm £460 poorer!

A seven and a half year old using Accelerated Piano Adventures got to the page where the little piece is the melody from Mozart's "A Little Night Music". She didn't recognise the title but she looked at the music and said " I know that" and promptly sang it.

Most of my beginners are hard put to even know who Mozart is !

Shopping with child no 1 who has Exeat!

Teaching the most lovely group of youngsters...

A local piano teacher contacted me because, although she is Hungarian and was obviously brought up with solfa, wasn't quite sure how to actually teach it, and she wanted her pupils (all grades 3-5+) to sight-sing - so I now have this gorgeous group of five 9-12 year-olds roughly once a fortnight (whenever I can fit it in on a Saturday afternoon).

They are just GORGEOUS!!!

It was their second lesson today and they are doing SO well and are so lovely and smiley and enthusiastic that I ended the hour almost bouncing .

AND they love getting stickers .

AND they adore my sparkly house .

Lucky children.

Applying for an audition for the Northern Youth Ballet's production of Coppelia!

Isn't life great when something like that turns up !

Oh and I should add that the class I moaned about last week on the Arrrrrrgh thread pulled their socks up this week and actually crowded round the CD player and wanted to sing more. It was a bit raucous but at least there was enthusiasm as last week they were bxxxxy awful!

Getting my clarinet fixed and adjusted

And then working with my daughter on her first duet

and ...... playing some new music !

Taking part in a 12 hour Musicathon to raise money for a local church - brilliant day - singing, playing, accompanying and listening to loads of local talent - huge variety of instruments and voices and styles of music. 14 of my students turned out to play too and did a great job - so proud of them! The last item was a gospel choir - what a great end to a great day!

my nephew Charlie has almost got rid of his chickenpox just two little nieces to sort now, both have colds and the youngest isn't very well at all wonder what aunty can do to make them ...........

Last 3 days actually; 6 concerts/recitals in the Beverley Chamber Music Festival.

Two all Chopin lunchtime recitals by Jin Ju, each with 3 encores. Martin Roscoe introduced her as one of the best Chopin players he had ever heard, and she was brilliant, sensitive and spectacular.

The other lunchtime concert was Craig Ogden (classical guitar) and his wife Claire Bradshaw (Mezzo soprano), a lovely concert including Purcell, Handel, Giordani, Schumann, Britten and Rodrigo.

The Coull Quartet plus double bass plus Martin Roscoe. Chopin piano concerto No 1, Schuberts Trout, etc.

Jennifer Pike with Martin Roscoe. Beethoven, Debussy, Ravel and Schumann's 3 romances, plus encore.

Haffner Wind Ensemble. Ibert, Mozart, Pavel Haas, Thea Musgrave and Ravel.

All in all, a very successful Festival with all audience numbers up on last year. Bodes well for the future.

Yesterday, actually. Going to see John Lill play at Beaulieu Abbey Church. He played Mozart (K576), Beethoven (Appasionata), Chopin Nocturne in Cminor and Polonaise on F#minor and the Brahms Variations and Theme on a theme of Handel Op 24.

We were sitting only about 15 feet away!

Awesome!

Can't really say too much but suffice to say that a major cause of stress, anxiety and unhappiness over the past year (and before) has today been removed...

And it's onwards and upwards for what makes me tick!

Stanford, Wesley, Vierne, Rose in the main.

that's great Cyrilla


mastering some new band music in my lesson has made me happy today

Finally getting my promised very large tax rebate, its taken some chivvying but now I have it

My lovely boyfriend bit slushy, sorry

YAY fsharpminor! That's good news!



For me- I had fun at cubs tonight! 27 - mainly boys- but I enjoyed it tonight!

Also- I started a new pupil today who is from an all over the place family and is one of 10. Her lessons are being paid for by a scheme..... and I presumed she would be all over the place- but she was really excited- and shock horror- she had an instrument already (I had one in case she didn't) and did really well. She really enjoyed it! I thought she would start on the book for ones who need to progress slowly- but I don't think so! I was pleasantly surprised!
And 2 of my other newish pupils today were doing well too.....
and it was sunny...
so lots of things to be thankful for....


especially as I felt pants yesterday and had a "I can't cope' meltdown!

Listening to the Nutcracker Suite at work over and over and over and over and over an over and over and over and over and over.............well you get the picture

Our band? Or your other one?

My friends' husband sold me his boxed set of the complete works of Beethoven for £25.00!

*Awaits comments of the "You paid £24.00 more than it's worth" ilk

the other one Dawn I think Clarinet Candy is going to take rather more than half an hour to 'master'

Booking a date with a certain Steinway

A couple of pupils who have been all over the place this term so far have finally settled down (one found her music- the other, her mum finished her 'working away' and is supervising practice). YAY...... Back to the standard we were before the summer holidays......

Bumping into DawnF on the bus!


(Brief foray into town to sign contact but back to bed now!)

I am beginning to be able to hear through my left ear again - after an ear infection which has lasted almost a month. Yeay.

Constant problems getting C# and up at G# playing A major on my clarinet, especially descending — practicing for Grade 4; my little finger does not like to come together with my third.

Today, half a dozen practice scales, and almost perfect C# and G# each time - can't express here just how good that felt having squeaked these notes at my teach so often.!!!

Now going to do another 6 just to be sure I can keep that in my brain hopefully for a good lesson tomorrow

Playing successfully in assembly this morning...and getting my voice back after two days of whispering!

Receiving an email telling me that my 25 year old grandaughter, currently on holiday in America, has just got engaged to her long term partner. He popped the question yesterday in Florida and chose the ring which she gets today after adjustment. So the whole family is happy today, they make a nice couple.

Happy listening, DC!


So pleased to hear this. It must have been horrid for you.

Awwh how lovely!

Aaw thankyou. Nice to see you too. You could have sat in front of me had you wished Maybe see you again sometime - our homes are not actually that far away.

I thought you were with someone and didn't want to bother you - and it was only once we set off that I realised! Felt a bit silly shouting down the bus. Actually, the whole thing was a bit of a faff! Anyway - yes, we even live on the same bus route.

No worries - just got talking to someone at the bus stop (you know me ...) - she was in teacher training at my old college.
Hope you feel better soon anyway and are posting in this thread cause you feel well again.

Awwww.... how nice!

Erm, how many of your friends is this chappy married to?!

Happy listening!


I somehow managed to read that your 25-year-old grandmother had just got engaged!!

My best friend-we were asked in chemistry, "So, if you have to calculate the empirical formula of a compound with three elements instead of two, what do you do?"
His reply-"Panic."

I survived my first choir-accompanying rehearsal!! 'Ring Out, Wild Bells' is near on impossible, unless you have an organ, three feet and about six hands...