I can talk!

For Britain....this is what I discovered today when I was invited to give a two hour seminar to MA students at the University of East Anglia. I was worried about filling the time but apparently once I start I can't stop!

The album artwork is 99% done.... can't wait to get it sent off.

But mostly can't wait for people to hear it and to get on the road!

artwork complete

I've done it... I've made the new album artwork. With a massive help from Dougal Water's photo shoot on Thursday, and two days solid of sitting and throwing away lots of ideas. I am happy, I think it looks cool and can't wait to get it produced and out into the world!

I forgot what a big thing it is! A lot of work and then hopefully people will like our tunes and we will be able to start writing some new ones again and do lots more performing.

let's keep our fingers crossed that I've done it all right!!!!

Tomorrow I am giving a seminar at the University of East Anglia about professional practice as a creative entrepreneur! It's been interesting preparing, it's made me look at alot of the work that has gone in over the past 5 years.

comfort zones

We just did a concert and workshop at Anglia Ruskin University and the same at the University of Wolverhampton. the first was a strange concert set up as the theatre was set up for a musical and so there was a massive orchestral pit between us and the audience, we got a good response, but it was hard to tell until I got some nice emails a few days later. the workshop was a little strange as we thought that it was going to be a practical workshop but no-one had brought any instruments! so Adrian and I ended up giving a lecture recital about ourselves for just over an hour, and it felt like the longest hour ever. you may think I like to talk about myself but that was pushing it. luckily i have alot of musical epiphanies up my sleeve. I put a lot in but who knows if it was useful to anyone else. SImilar in Wolvehampton, though great lecturer and very keen of shaking things up a bit, so we did i think. We took people out of their comfort zones I think (sorry!) but there were some amazing results, some great musicians and energy and some people not ready to go for it. And some who seemed really annoyed by the challenge which is as good to me as someone getting really into it... I don't want to rile people but if it challenges you, you will get something out of it.

I now know that I do not want to become a lecturer, I like doing it randomly and workshops and seminars are great, but it is all consuming, I don't know how I could be a performer and give so much to other people through teaching. Teaching isn't the easy option, I definitely can't even do have and have, it tales the same kind of energy and for me gives satisfaction but I expect so much from people, so I'd rather expect alot from myself and not get annoyed!

Anyway, having said that I'm really looking for to the fiddle party I'm holding on saturday at my house and to TUNE-UP Folk Day in April.

I think the roasted vegetables may be done, smells that way....

Badpipes

I just got some Smallpipes!
One drone in D with an E drone hole too. Can't wait til I can co-ordinate everything, but getting a few tunes already!

The album is recorded! we're mixing next week in Lincolnshire.

A couple of lunchtime concerts coming up followed by workshops for undergraduates at Anglia Ruskin University and The University of Wolverhampton.

I'll be really glad when the nights start getting lighter! I love the countryside but it's just soooo dark!

I'm getting the artwork ready and we have arranged the pre=release party for March 27th and the official release will be June (date tbc)

It's always such an uncertain time, Initially we have to like what we are writing, then we have to play it as well as we imagine it can be, then we have to give it a visual aspect, then we hope that people are moved by it somehow... what a precarious life!

New photos next week with Dougal, it's all go for the brawl.
anyway back to the roasted veg lasagne, it must be time to stir something
xxxx