Just got back from our Seat of the Pants gig in Crediton - didn't know Crediton had an arts centre, but they do - small and lovely opposite the big church. A Seat of the Pants gig feels like a get-together with very special friends (even though this was actually only my 2nd gig with the Orchestra!). We always have the added frission of workshoppers who also perform with us or on their own in some films. I love the accepting, experimental, relaxed but attentive feel of it all, with participants from young to older - it's just a good vibe! I had the added luxury of being able to do a good chunk of practice in the daylight hours this afternoon! (I am mainly a night-practicer, by necessity.) (Thankyou Jonnie for entertaining Rose and Jesse :-p)   This good-playing day has been another step in my recovery after a down period of colds, sickness and chicken-pox (my daughter, not me). On the Solstice night I cleared up my music room and made lots of lists of music and plans for the next 6 months. I have lots of repertoire to learn! Feeling much more directional now! I also find that being kind to myself is much more productive than being harsh to myself. I have alot of 'practice method' type books, and I will binge on one or the other for abit, then castigate myself when I hit a brick wall and give up. The way that works best is if I pick and mix - so I cover all aspects of technique but in the ways that I enjoy and with exercises that I really appreciate musically. So at the moment I'm doing a combination of Peter Lukas-Graf 'Check-Up', Taffenel and Gaubert 'Daily exercises' (of course!), Anderson studies (lots of good articulation material there, and I do like the dramaticism - hm, not a word, oh well! -  of some of them!), some great exercises I found online by Helen Bledsoe and abit of Reichert. And then also using some specific passages in my repertoire as sequence material - ie. doing it through different keys. aaaaah. That is a happy sigh.

Playing live, improvised music to films with the Seat of the Pants orchestra this Sunday 23rd June  at Crediton festival! If you are a musician or budding animator (or know of any to tell) then come to the afternoon workshops. Workshoppers get free entry to the gig.

So... In the middle of half term I did this lovely gig in Exmouth Library with Jesse Molins and Al Swainger, what a privilege to play with two musicians who are very experienced and creative jazzers - I enjoyed the ride! (And hoped they didn't mind me coming along too much!) I've jazz noodled at home with Jesse  - to bring it to public surrounded by lots of books and warm faces was a friendly way to come out of my jazz closet! A big thankyou to Chris Launder at Exmouth Library, who made this and many other super things happen - check out all the photos of their community events on Flickr! What a buzzing library! Now I must get to transcribing... and bringing other ideas to fruition... and back to teaching and learning accompaniments. Right... time to get my half term hat off!