Sunday, the 30th of November, 2014

The word busy once again springs to mind as I contemplate the week's events. Various church services and concerts have arisen resulting in what can only be described as a chock-a-block timetable. Concert after concert, service after service; time to sit down and think has been a rarity. Nevertheless, I have a free moment and thought I could sit down and write about my life from my last post to this.

The city symphony orchestra a couple of weeks ago needed some last minute percussionists, and so being the thrill seeker I am - set out to do so. With only two short rehearsals, I and another emergency dep had to perfect our parts on only two hours practice. Intuition told us all we had to do was watch the conductor. This was rather difficult at times, as being on snare drum, in rehearsals, would try and match my tempo when actually I was trying to follow his. This resulted in what can only be called as a musical heap. Nevertheless, the concert ran smooth with only a couple of minor hiccups which we ironed out within a beat. At the end of the couple of hours long concert, at the point when the applause came round, we in the percussion section got a cheer. Not the polite applause that the rest of the orchestra received, but a well intentioned and warm cheer. I went home a content and happy man.

Today was largely spent in bed, after a bout of sickness last night - today was spent recuperating drinking tea and listening to choral music to rest my shattered nerves. The concert I performed in the night before (yet more concerts!) was a success. With over 200 singers and a 90 strong orchestra, organ and heavy percussion, we played through our repertoire with only a few minor hiccups. The applause after we had finished was monumental, but not before the beautiful minute silence after the final double bass notes had died away. The silence was so special and so moving we all held inner smiles which then broke out amoungst everyone when the applause had finished.

So many concerts in the past few weeks, and yet more to come. After missing advent vespers at church, I need to recover as soon as is humanly possible if I am to survive the concerts this coming week (another couple of orchestral concerts, jazz gig, various church services as well as going home and serving a church for the Christmas services). The life of the lonely artiste only gets busier and busier, time to crack on and learn the shed-load of music I will be piling through over the next few days and weeks. And my time starts .... now.