November – and Christmas is Coming!

This time of year is always busy for musicians. Nothing new there!

This weekend and next involve rehearsals (playing principal cello) in ballet music with CHANDOS. for our concert on November 19th in Malvern.

The following Saturday, 25th, I will be playing harp in Pershore Abbey with WORCESTERSHIRE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA in – Saint-Saens – Danse Macabre, Ravel – Mother Goose Suite and Franck – Symphony in D. I have to admit that I will be doing a bit of cheating here by taking along a keyboard to help me in the bits I can’t quite get my feet and/or fingers round! This was a dilemma. Having practised it, I knew I could not put in all the right notes, coping with all the pedal changes. I don’t profess to be a professional harpist.

So should I mess up the music by trying to do it all on harp, back out and leave them without a harpist, or do what I can on the harp and do the nasty bits on a keyboard? The first thing I tried to do was find somebody else to take on the job!! No luck! And if I HAD found a real harpist, they would have wanted loads of money for doing it, which neither I, nor the orchestra can afford.

Compromise seems to be the best option. What do you think? Email me your opinion through my feedback page – I’d love to hear any magic solutions if there are any!

In December I shall be playing Organ for Pershore High School Services, at Eckington Church and for St Mary’s Church, Ripple on Sunday 17th at 6.30 for their Service of 9 Lessons and Carols and for the Midnight Communion on Christmas Eve.

I also have bookings to play piano at EASTNOR CASTLE ‘s open Day (booked through Midsummer Music – see link on the right hand of this page) and for Worcestershire Youth Music for a choral day being held on December 6th.

Not too sure when I’m going to write Christmas cards or do Christmas Shopping! So just in case I don’t manage to send you a card…if you want a bit of Seasonal Music, here’s my rendition of COVENTRY CAROL.

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A Grand Weekend

Last weekend was the last weekend of October, the weekend when National Trust Properties tend to start closing for the winter, and also the last weekend of our half-term holiday.

Being National Trust members, we decided to make the most of our subscription for the year and fit in as many as we could while having a break away in our favourite haunt near Minehead.

So on Friday we went to
STOURHEAD. …wonderful place, gorgeous house, wonderful library, amazing gardens and a Steinway. Grand piano with a notice on it saying “pianists welcome!” – well, of course, I couldn’t resist!

Then on Saturday we went to KNIGHTSHAYES.
And there was a Bluthner Grand in the hall and a Collard and Collard further through the house,both of which were open to visitors!

On Sunday we found ourselves at
ARLINGTON COURT. and – guess what? Yet another Grand piano for me to play. Another Collard and Collard, nicer than the previous one but not a patch on the Steinway.

A Grand weekend indeed!

Visit http://www.sheilajoynes.com .