Round up
As usual at this time of year, I've had a busy time of it lately. I've had two concerts and two shows in the last three weeks.
First up was 'The Merry Widow'. Seems like months ago but was only actually two and a half weeks. It was only for two nights (+ dress) which is the best length of run for this time of year really, there's too much else going on. Nice show, favourable write up in paper, no big disasters.
The following week was my debut (and only) performance as the leader of the viola section with the Wymondham Symphony Orchestra. I normally play in the 1st violins, but our lead viola was playing the solo part in 'Harold in Italy' in the concert, so I stood in for him. I think I did OK apart from one passage I stuffed up a bit, but Alto clef is my third language after all! Now I don't know what the weather was like that weekend where you live, but all the worst weather in Norfolk seemed to be centered right on the concert location. Major snow, lots of people sliding into each other all over the A11. So we had a very small audience of brave people, which was a shame. Still, it was all a bit of an adventure, and I think everyone got home OK afterwards. My lot all got there and back (eventually).
This last weekend I was playing for the first run (Thurs dress, Fri, Sat - mini run ftw again) of a brand new operetta a la G&S that a friend of mine had written the music for. She sings with a group called the Sheringham Savoyards; another member of the company wrote the libretto and the company performed it. It was called 'The Magic Lozenge' and I suppose you'd call it a Gilbert & Sullivan fan-work, with lots of deeply geeky musical references - I managed to spot a couple, but my G&S knowledge is not that great (yet). I thought it was a fun show and I enjoyed being part of it - it's such a friendly company too.
On Sunday I woke up with a cold and felt dead, but I still had a concert to play in the evening, and as I was leading and had two solos in the first half I couldn't duck out. I somehow got through it without embarrassing myself, but I can't say I enjoyed it a lot!
Only a concert on Saturday I'll have one rehearsal for, a recording session, and the performance of another new work, an oratorio called 'David' to go before Christmas ...
First up was 'The Merry Widow'. Seems like months ago but was only actually two and a half weeks. It was only for two nights (+ dress) which is the best length of run for this time of year really, there's too much else going on. Nice show, favourable write up in paper, no big disasters.
The following week was my debut (and only) performance as the leader of the viola section with the Wymondham Symphony Orchestra. I normally play in the 1st violins, but our lead viola was playing the solo part in 'Harold in Italy' in the concert, so I stood in for him. I think I did OK apart from one passage I stuffed up a bit, but Alto clef is my third language after all! Now I don't know what the weather was like that weekend where you live, but all the worst weather in Norfolk seemed to be centered right on the concert location. Major snow, lots of people sliding into each other all over the A11. So we had a very small audience of brave people, which was a shame. Still, it was all a bit of an adventure, and I think everyone got home OK afterwards. My lot all got there and back (eventually).
This last weekend I was playing for the first run (Thurs dress, Fri, Sat - mini run ftw again) of a brand new operetta a la G&S that a friend of mine had written the music for. She sings with a group called the Sheringham Savoyards; another member of the company wrote the libretto and the company performed it. It was called 'The Magic Lozenge' and I suppose you'd call it a Gilbert & Sullivan fan-work, with lots of deeply geeky musical references - I managed to spot a couple, but my G&S knowledge is not that great (yet). I thought it was a fun show and I enjoyed being part of it - it's such a friendly company too.
On Sunday I woke up with a cold and felt dead, but I still had a concert to play in the evening, and as I was leading and had two solos in the first half I couldn't duck out. I somehow got through it without embarrassing myself, but I can't say I enjoyed it a lot!
Only a concert on Saturday I'll have one rehearsal for, a recording session, and the performance of another new work, an oratorio called 'David' to go before Christmas ...