I realise that it's been a while since my last musings so I thought i'd share my latest activities.....
On the teaching front despite the 'credit crunch' I have had a regular surge of enquiries re tuition with mainly adults keen to take up an instrument. Could it be due to the re-emergence of saxophone solos and the like in the Lady Gaga songs or even Mister saxobeat?! Who knows! I do operate a waiting list and can sometimes re-jig my schedule to fit in one or two who have been waiting a while so don't lose heart, I haven't forgotten you if you're on it! My school age students continue to enjoy working for their monthly set targets (and the prize when completed!) and it's wonderful to see the delight in the very little ones faces when in the 2nd or 3rd lesson I tell a story and they put in the sound effects (flute head joint etc!). The story usually involves themselves and a brother / sister venturing into a creepy wood, an owl (slide finger into open end of headjoint for a slide down in pitch = owl sound) a scream (blow as fast/firm as you can!) a creaky door (finger fully in headjoint, slowly remove) etc. It's great fun being a teacher and wonderful to be just slightly crackers enough to keep thinking up different ways of 'getting something in there'. Have you ever played your must upside down? backwards? or both? .... Highly recommended!
Now the children have returned to school (and my youngest is now at secondary so I am feeling old!) I have several projects in the pipe line. These include organising ISMN numbers for my www.masquerade-music.co.uk publications. Distributors like the popular www.musicroom.com which currently sell my 'Songs for claire' suite do obviously require these so this is the next step to reaching a wider field. A celtic flute album is planned in a addition to a piano chillout collection.
Performance wise I'm really enjoying playing publically (although time allows for little of this!). I was fortunate enough to play at Southwell Minster on 2nd September with Equinox saxophone ensemble, Christian Forshaw (saxophonist mainly in the area of sacred music arranged beautifully for saxophone, organ, percussion and voice/s). The arrangements were excellent, and heart breakingly beautiful at times. I've also lately been rehearsing with Chris Lawry (www.chrislawry.com ) composer, pianist, and we've begun recording a few tracks and preparing for our first recital together on 22nd October 2011 (see events page). It's quite interesting to me to see how another composers brain ticks and some good results are emerging music-wise.
We now have 2 new member in the Degg household; Smoky and Coffee, two 'fancy' mice (although I have my doubts about Smoky, she's positively HUGE and I think she's actually just a rat masquerading as a mouse!) a gift for my daughters 14th birthday.
anyway, bye for now, i'd better prepare for this mornings teaching...
Keri.
