If you do come along, say hi to me, so I can put a name to face, and know which poor person gets my PGCE rants!

Of course! I'm at a rehearsal myself that day but I'm only across the road so I'll see what I can do

Are your pupils coming to the CfYM stuff? There's only 6/7 of them including Jodie Buckland!

I should have had a small group coming to the stuff you're helping out with but due to various reasons, most of them have dropped out I know one who should definitely still be, and another who is very eager (and an amazing player... Grade 3 standard 4 weeks from picking up the sax) but her sax just broke It's been a bit of an unlucky week! I'll remind them all tomorrow though so fingers crossed, and good luck!

Looking forward to Sunday see you all there!

I'm sure it will be a fantastic day - wish I was going!

Have fun everybody

Had a great day. Didn't stay to the evening concert - but it did sound like it was going to be great

but Chris Potter's supposed to be amazing!...

He is amazing....heard him play earlier today! Fabulous. Would have loved to have stayed but have a deadline to complete tonight!!

Thoroughly enjoyed myself. It's been a great weekend all round

Well done Scaramouche on your work with the new sax players, the final result was excellent

Resisted the temptation to buy too much. For once

Sax Assault, as always, was great, and as for Otis Murphy in the final recital, well... think of a word that's 1,000,000 times more descriptive than 'amazing'....

Can't wait for next year. Have assumed it'll be the third Sunday in November 2009, and so I've pencilled it in already

Darn, Mr Clari beat me to it! Lovely to meet several of you, sorry to miss Clare and S'mouche (though I did shake hands with Jodie Buckland, who was bullying me to buy her dad's CD ...)

Barry is right, Otis Murphy is just .... extraordinary. It is impossible to imagine a saxophone being played better. Evenness of tone over 3-4 octaves, seemingly perfect tuning. It was a relief when he produced a miniscule squawk in the final piece.

nick

Is that the Sax Assault playing session - or did Sax Assault perform?

Did you know that Otis Murphy was doing a Masterclass session on Thursday evening in London?

Details on the sax.co.uk website

Playing sessions - the first one with about 35 players (many aged under 15) and a ragged looking Mr Scott! Andy and Rob were as always, great.

Yes - I've just looked at Otis' website - go if you can. Amazingly the man only has one, self-produced Cd. (words fail me...)


nick

Well -What a cracking day !!!

I did my first public performance (albeit with 200 other sax players ) in the massed band - Made a complete cods of it and then noticed when it was all over that there was actually an easy alto part in the back of the music book which I could of played instead.

Rob Buckland's soprano playing was brill - such a pure sound.

Otis Murphy and Chris Potter concerts were excellent

My highlight of the day was a girl taking part in the second Otis Murphy Masterclass. She volunteered on the spot to play, and performed Bozza's Aria for alto - It was beautiful !

A completely inspirational day !!

Chad

Glad you enjoyed it! You may have spotted me in the massed sax orchestra : was playing alto, and wearing a predominantly blue stripy jumper

Off to look at Otis' website

I unfortunately didn't stay for the evening concert either, even with a free ticket, as I had a splitting headache and too much work to do.

I had the no pressure situation of working with Jodie Buckland in my group . Survived just about, and she also made me buy 2 CDs .

It was interesting being on the other side, but really lovely to see Andy Scott play, as he's such a modest guy and having only heard him play in lessons it was a nice change .

Roll on bed time.

I'm teaching, so can't go

However TSax, if you are free that Thursday, I'd highly recommend going to watch. He is amazing!!!