…since I added anything to this blog, simply because during that time I didn’t really have anything earth-shattering to say and I didn’t want to waste bandwidth in spouting a whole load of noise.
But last month was an interesting anniversary for me. It was the 50th anniversary of my starting to learn the piano, and looking back over what I can remember of those fifty years its quite clear to me that, after my family of course, music has been the one thing that has held me together for all of that time.
My eye is quite stable after the cataract operation and I will need one final operation later in the year to finish things off, and then hopefully any operation I need in the future will not be on the eye.
After many ups and downs I’ve finally begun to make serious progress with the oboe and cor anglais, and I’ve arranged to be taught by one of the best players in the Australia – I imagine this will really a test of patience. I’ve actually played the instruments a couple of times during masses that David and I have played together, and whilst the volume is OK (that oboe is loud!) my pitch is a bit wonky and that is something which will be a focus over the next few weeks and months.
On the Stuart front, I’m doing another fundraising recital in October, playing Schubert (the Sonata in B flat D960) and works by Tan Dun and the unknown until now Ukrainian composer Javid Artoghrul. It’s quite a major undertaking for me, and I must admit I will need to work hard to get it right. So far, I rate myself about 60% overall, which of course is not good enough.
As a result, my re-recording has not yet occurred, but I plan to finish it off after the recital since I hope my overall skill level might be better then.
So it’s all hands on deck, as it were. Much fun.