On Marion and Stanley's advice, I came to Hampi yesterday on the bus from Panjim in Goa. The bus ride was long, 10 hours and the roads were VERY bumpy, but i arrived safe and sound at this very atmospheric little place, in the middle of a big festival to celebrate the engagement of two gods, Shiva and Parvati. They took the Gods out of the temple ( ( Read more... )

Well so here I am in India again, but with a very different outlook, plan, everything. This year I got here tired, nay exhausted, after working very hard, not sleeping too well, and trying to help out friends and family. If I hadn't booked this holiday ages ago I would undoubtedly have chosen somewhere less challenging and not so far away ( Read more... )

At last, the BBC trial is over, at least for the present. They may call me back in for another week sometime soon. I think it went really well so far, I certainly did my best anyway, but of course I have no idea what the outcome may be. So now I have a busy couple of weeks of RSNO and teaching, then I'm off to India to have wonderful new ( Read more... )

I just came across this on an Indian blog site; it encapsulates what I think about the subject perfectly.
http://kiranpv.wordpress.com/2007/07/30/paulo-coelho-on-%E2%80%9Ctraveling-differently%E2%80%9D/

I am giving a cello recital in the Reid Concert Hall, Bristo Square, Edinburgh.
Entry is free and the programme is
"Bohemian Cello"
Kodaly Sonata
Janacek A Tale
Bartok Romanian Dances
The Reid is the rectangular building between Teviot (edinburgh uni union) and the McEwan Hall (big round building), set back behind railings and gates.
Do come along

I'm just back from a lovely evening. I arrived at Portobello beach around 7pm, to a lovely mayhem of bonfires and fireworks. The whole length of the beach was one huge anarchic firework display. I loved it, because it was so un-British, so crazy, and such fun! Every group had their own little fire and a lot had fireworks too. Ok so it might be a ( Read more... )

Thought I'd just post to my journal as I have not done so for ages ( Read more... )

SATURDAY 6th October in Edinburgh's Meadows ( Read more... )

I'm just back from the funeral of one of my neighbours, Tommy Simpson. He moved in because he had his leg amputated and so had to get a flat on the ground floor. He had a big alcohol problem and diabetes, not a good combination, but despite his problems he was a gent and I am sad to see him go. He went, not too surprisingly, from liver cancer, ( Read more... )

Only the concerto to go now, to finish off the month. The audition turned out good, they gave me a trial, not till november though. The recital was fine yesterday, nice audience. In the end we had to put ourselves at the side of the church because otherwise we had to play miles apart from each other due to the huge old fixed wooden pews which get ( Read more... )