News from 2015
We have just finished make the new site in November 2016, so I thought I’d pick a few key moments from 2015.
On Thursday the 3rd December I performed at the Gala concert for Czech Blind United with the Brno Chamber Orchestra conducted by Ondrej Vrabec including Concerto in C for treble recorder and strings by Telemann and Concerto in F for descant recorder and strings by Sammartini.
This concert saw me return to play for Czech blind United in the magnificent Splendour of the Spanish Hall in Prague Castle. The concert itself will remain in my memory as the time the cork on my descant recorder finally disintegrated requiring some botchery beforehand. I can only liken it to a car handling differently in the wet.
In September it was the debut performance of Tactile, directed by vibraphone player and composer Jackie Walduck at the Vortex Jazz Club, Dalston.
Tactile is an ensemble of visually impaired and sighted musicians exploring the consequences of removing visual communication from group improvisation and performance. Performances take place in complete darkness, encouraging performers and audience to focus their attention on sound rather than sight. Tactile scores both inspired music and were created in response to music. The line-yup of recorder, oboe, electric guitar, bass and theorbo and vibes made for some unusual and varied sound worlds in three brand new compositions and structured improvisations.
On July 17th I performed at a recital at st. Alfege church, Greenwich. Trevor Hughes was on Organ and Piano, and I of course, was playing various recorders. This programme included works by Handel, Vivaldi, Langlais and Bowen.
On the 3rd of July, I performed with the Paraorchestra at Bristol’s Colston Hall. The Programme included Paraorchestra’s unique take on Corelli’s ‘La Follia’ and the world premier of a commission by Lloyd Colman given by Paraorchestra and the Southbank Sinfonia.
In June I was at a concert at London’s Wigmore Hall given by alumni of the Elizabeth Eagle-Bott memorial fund. This was a joyous celebration of music and the impact of this most generous bequest to blind musicians. I had the pleasure of performing several pieces including the enigmatic Sonata Seconda by Castello with theorbo player Matthew Wadsworth.
