Blog

I have been involved with music for as long as I can remember. I began piano lessons at the age of 8, but I had loved my music lessons at school long before that. Morning from Peer Gynt by Grieg is one of the first pieces of music I remember, and that is because Mrs.…
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Does the world frighten you? At times it absolutely terrifies me, and probably not for the reasons you think.  I could be profound and talk about what is going on in the world; climate change, world conflicts, Covid. But no, for me it is much simpler, and yet in some ways more difficult to deal…
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There are key moments in everyone’s lives.  We tend to remember the big ones like birthdays, weddings, anniversaries and where you were when a major world event happened. A year ago today (19th March 2020) I was facing a very uncertain future.  My world felt, like for many, that it had come crashing down.  I…
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I love listening to the radio.  Like many people I have my favourite channels.  This is partly limited by my old car stereo but I might listen to Classic FM for their breakfast show and Steve Wright in the Afternoon on radio 2 on the way home from work.  In recent weeks however I have…
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In the world, I believe, there are three types of people.  Those who look to the past, those who live in the present and those who live for the future.  I have never been one to dwell in the past.  Everybody has times in their lives when things are less than perfect, and the world…
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I love my job.  In the past few days I have gone back to what I sometimes feel I do best – teaching, and I hope inspiring.  That doesn’t mean I haven’t taught at all during the past 6 months.  I have – via Zoom – but it was wonderful to see those students today…
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I know so many talented individuals – composers, performers, actors, designers, directors etc.  But how come so few, if any, of these people have received the recognition that they deserve? Why has their talent not catapulted them to the top of their professions? Recently I was looking through some of my old CDs.  I like…
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Never let it be said that the life of a musician is a boring one.  We have all the problems of everyday life (such as a very poorly car at the moment that is off the road) but mixed in with all the mundane is the wonder of an eclectic array of musical outings.  This…
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Practice. Such a small word for such an important thing.  To be good at anything you have to practice.  I totally admit that I don’t get to practice as much as I should or want to.  The instrument that probably receives the least practice is the piano, and yet this was always my first love. …
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These are words that many self-employed and freelance artists hear. I gave up what some would consider a ‘proper job’ to do what I do now.  As a Head of Expressive Arts in a secondary school I would leave the house at 7.15am to get to work for 8am. I would teach during the day,…
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