Wot she said.

Ditto.

Thoroughly enjoyable day : thank you David/Anne/all the performers, including eastmidspiano and lois, my partners in crime! Really enjoyed working with both of you!

More than happy to come back again sometime if the date suits

Ditto-ditto-wot-she-said

It was all good fun, wasn't tooo dreadful from my point of view given that it's 18 years since anybody listened to me, would definitely do it again. Oh, hang on, am doing it again at Teddington (different music though!)

You were excellent

Aww, thank you, barry. That's because you don't know how many mistakes there were I kept going which was the main thing that pleased me - turned my wobbles in to ornamentation, rests or 'interpretation' (a wrong note played with assurance).

It's good to know that what people say really is true - the audience doesn't hear mistakes. I really really enjoyed listening to all the other music too, and all the performances were great. I didn't hear anything wrong, and I'm fairly sure that's not because everyone else was 100% perfect

Also, it turns out that if you have to stop and re-start, the world doesn't end. Especially if your great-bass-continuo-ist doesn't beat you to death with that great big lump of wood for you stealing her supposed-to-be-solo part

And I'm very glad we got to hear Top Cat too. It's one of those pieces which makes you wish to take up the instrument and take that exam, just so you can play it

The best trick is to pick pieces that no-one has heard of... then the audience is less likely to spot mistakes!

I'm sitting here looking at my list of pieces for the 30th and am a bit

Lots of work needed to polish a few of them...

Thank you all for your great performances, and to Margaret and Lorna for accompanying. Hearing you all gives me something to aspire to. This was the first time I have ever been in the same room as a cello or a bass recorder, and it was really interesting to hear them live.

Maybe it was just me, but I found the piano felt very different from the one at Waterloo.

Over the next few weeks, I will look into options for another date. This will involve checking availability of the venue and also trying not to clash with other forum events on barry-clari's calendar. I will try to build in a bit more time for rehearsal next time. I'll post once I have looked into dates.

Hope to see you all at some future forum event.

Anne

I loved the great bass recorder, nice sound! It was nice seeing the 'cello played from a short distance too, it really makes you appreciate how much finger work is involved - I really liked that piece that swisscello played

The piano was quite different, OctaviaPiano, I think it's a more recent model? There wasn't so much of a tactile click when you depressed the keys. It's all good experience playing on these different pianos!

Definitely look at arranging some more, I'll come along as it's not very far to drive!

Did you all have a great day?

Was thinking of you all yesterday.

ET

We did, eldatom, thanks for asking : and sorry you couldn't be there.

All the performances were thoroughly enjoyable

Hopefully, I'll see you later in the year (I'm not at Sol's next piano day, but our paths are bound to cross sooner rather than later)

That's good to hear Barry. Hope to see you in the not too distance future. We will miss you on the 30th.

ET

Aw I'll be thinking of all of you when I'm in Manchester that day with the northern forum contingent!

Sorry you could not be there, ET.

By the way, I see from your signature that you passed your OU exam - well done! See you again at Pro Corda in October, perhaps?

Anne

What a great day!
Everyone played really well; it's clear there was a great effort put in to ensure a good performance. No doubt it's not the done thing to single anyone out.........but I'm going to do it anyway:

Highlights for me were:

Tim (who apprantely can barely read music but played his own virtuoso composition)
Rachel - the cello is so beautiful (Bach's cello sonatas are currently on continual loop in the car)
Katy's song - mrs m and I were just talking about how Jack and the Beanstalk was not a particularly good morality tale. The lesson appears to be that it's ok to steal as you'll then get rich.

Thank you for singling this out David - I did mean to ask what Tim had played as I thought it was absolutely beautiful!

Er, no....the lesson is if you upset a giant, there will be trouble to follow... But thanks

I thought he said it was from a show or film, can't quite remember which? I'm sure I asked for the sheet music for it! Regardless, it was really nice! *must pester Mini Mo*

I didn't realise you were only allowed to interpret fiction in one way. Must have a word with my old English teacher.

I think you interpreted the original story the way I did, katyjay's song was a follow-on to what happened afterwards so unless anyone else heard that song, they wouldn't get the message

Thank you everyone especially David and Anne (and David for your kind comments). I had a lovely day.

It was Yiruma - River flows in you. Its on Youtube somewhere.

Yes, Tim still maintains he cannot read music and shows me his scores with the musical alphabet written by many of the notes!!!

Definitely make sure he comes along to a future event, he plays brilliantly - I'm learning that piece now

I love the way that these events expose us to music we've not heard or even thought about learning before. I know it sounds like a cliché but forum events really are inspiring and motivating