Where is everyone? Hardly any messages are coming through these days. We were expecting something from Stephen!!
The magazine is finished and at the printers. It should be mailed out next week. I’ve been catching up with all sorts of things since it went to bed. One of those things was updating my SmartMusic. I hadn’t used it for awhile, really since getting the new computer, so I thought I should get it sorted out.
I’m really impressed. The download for my new computer was really easy and the Make Music team were really helpful when I had a problem downloading it onto my laptop – they were even helpful and patient when I didn’t read their emails properly – nothing wrong, just me now being able to comprehend!
I like the way you are able to have more pieces on the screen – in the old days you had to have sheet music for all pieces, then they introduced exercises with music on the screen, then some band methods were on screen, now there are quite a few pieces.
Do you use it? I’d love to know what you think. If you don’t, you really should explore it – and for us Flutewise members it’s so inexpensive at $25 per year – which is about £12.50!
If you are within travelling distance of the Barbican you might like to go and hear Sir James play on December 20 with the London Symphony Orchestra. The programme is -
Dukas: Sorcerer’s Apprentice
Mozart: Flute and Harp Concerto K299 (with Bryn Lewis harp)
Saint-Saens: Symphony No. 3 (Organ Symphony)
If you do go, remember to see if you can go back stage afterwards as Sir James and Lady Galway always give a very warm welcome to Flutewise members.
If you take up this challenge, you might win £100 and you could get some much needed publicity for Flutewise.
The National Association of Youth Orchestras has a new award for young musicians, The Sir John Manduell Award. If you can write an article of 350 words to be published in the NAYO newsletter about the ensemble you belong to ie Flutewise you might win £100 which can be put towards something musically relevant.
The closing date is Friday 21st December 2007. I’m copying the full press release I have received in the comments box below, because for some reason I don’t understand, I can’t paste it here.
Please let me know if you decide to enter – and good luck if you do.
It has been one of those weeks with real highs and real lows. The good thing is the magazine is off to bed and I can now tidy my office.
I also had an absolutely brilliant night out in Tuesday thanks to the ABRSM who kindly invited me to the Schools Prom at the Royal Albert Hall. 1,000 young musicians were taking part that night, which was one of three. I loved every minute of it but highlights for me had to be a performance by Ysgol Gogarth Special School and the Leicestershire and Leicester massed choir – there were about 500 of them and they were wearing random coloured T-shirts (just like I’ve been suggesting we should wear for performances). They looked really good.
Were you there? I noticed a few familiar names in the programme. All the performances were amazing. Well done everyone.
So that’s the good bit – but I don’t think I’ll tell you about how I’ve been turned down for a grant application AGAIN and how someone drove into the back of my car and then said she didn’t do it and ……….. no, it’s all too boring.
Now I’ll re-do that grant application – and maybe you can leave a comment if you read this to keep me going.
… and I’ve been busy. Busier than usual because of the postal strike. I’m quite fed up with the post office at the moment (not my postman, he’s great). Due to the postal strike all of the renewal letters to our members due to renew their Flutewise membership were delayed and then they arrived just when I had to work on the magazine. So I’ve been juggling the two – plus all the other things I do. I usually carefully pace all the Flutewise stuff so I don’t have too much to do at once.
Then today I find out our lovely local post office is going to close. That’s a bit of a disaster as far as Flutewise goes. I use the post office almost daily. To go to the next nearest one is quite a walk, I don’t mind walking but it takes much more time and often I have quite a heavy load. Driving to the post office is not an option because it is a horrible drive – one way roads – and no parking. There isn’t quite enough post for the post office to collect. It might all be too much for me. What do I do?
