Reepham Festival

A random picture of a church we played in a couple of years ago, didn't get a photo today, but this was from 'Music in Quiet Places' concerts series in Lincolnshire.

Today we performed at Reepham Summer Festival... two sets, first - in St Mary's Church about an hour and a half after we were supposed to go on... them bloomin campanologists!!!!!! Anyway, we performed a 45 minute concert and programmed in two very new pieces, Maggots (working title!) and Merula. there's nothing like the first time with a new piece, it's when you find out whether it is performable. It's one thing to write a piece and perform it to each other but it becomes an entirely different creature with an audience! That's when you know if it is going to work.

Conclusion.... Maggots is the new 'Shave the Donkey' and Merula is very exciting, the sunshine helps too.

The 2nd performance was in the Town hall to a small but very appreciative audience. Slightly muddly organisation, too many cooks and all that, but really friendly main organiser and lots of nice people to meet. Next year will be better!

So next is more writing, the next few weeks are going to be a bit crazy. this one coming = three days of writing together plus a funeral for me to go to, and to play something, a very hard situation, but the only thing I feel I can offer as words are so completely useless at times like this, some movements from a Handel recorder sonata for someone who loved early music, maybe this isn't the place to write about such things, but it is part of life and this brings home the need for live music, it's something for others and I hope, a present to an important person.

next week (4th-10th I will be tutoring on the Cambridge Early Music Summer School - Renaissance week, very exciting! and then rehearsals with Philip, Adrian and I to write together.

The autumn tour is also coming together and bookings for next year too, I'm having a big Monteverdi moment - very dramatic and now..... his majesty's Sagbutts and Cornetts.... utterly fantastic!