zbd1960

I took my cello to the luthier today for a check-up. Decided it needed new strings - £275 for a set of Larsons...

Talk about things moving and changing rapidly... I started to learn to play euphonium in October. Initially, the tuition was with the beginners' group with the training band. It is significantly harder work and slower to learn than sax or cello (or bass). My big advantage is I already read music and I'm an experienced musician so I don't have most of the issues that add extra challenges to beginners. I started private lessons as well just before Christmas - had about four now - which helps a lot. I'm now playing with the training band, not the beginners' group - I'm the only one that's been asked to move across (some of that is I've been more consistent in attending...). There are notes I can't play as they're beyond my current range. I either read down an octave, or omit them. A couple of weeks ago, the MD messages me 3 hours before rehearsal and says: can you take the rehearsal tonight and conduct it? I have stood in before in various groups and I did do a conducting component at summer school last year. Then I get asked would I consider taking on the conducting post at another band in the area? So, some long phone calls, a visit from the band leader and a long chat, I go to the band's rehearsal last Wednesday and now it seems I'm the conductor of the band in Appleby... I've spent this week trying to find videos (with correct arrangements) of their current list of pieces - not entirely successfully - and I've been marking up scores. Good job I'd already signed-up to the conducting part of the this year's summer school...

But you can spiel?

I attended the rehearsal this evening of a local (adjacent town) brass band - they've asked me to be their conductor. My main aim this evening was just to listen to them, but I did end up conducting some of the rehearsal. Looks like I start properly next week.... there's a full diary of concerts and gigs.... eek.

I think you had clear requirements and elicited the key information (I've been retired from IT for six years, but it still shows through... 🙂)... Yeah, if I were to play sax in a band, I'd want something more than the odd 8 bars in a few pieces.

I should be able to make it. I'm just waiting to get the gig dates for the brass band I'll be working with (I will write more about that under my "non rock'n'roll bassist" thread

I've put it in the diary. The only potential spanner is I am taking on the conducting role for a band and until next week I don't know what their gig diary looks like. Hopefully not a clash.

My current rehearsals are Tuesday evening (choir), Wednesday afternoon (community choir), Thursday afternoon (tenor sax, jazz group), Friday evening (training brass band, euphonium).

I'll send you a message

Some updates... The switch on Dec 24 to the 'moon boot' / boot splint has made life much easier. A month on from the break and I can get around the house much more easily without using crutches. I've started to leave the boot off first thing in the morning and in the evening (recommended by the consultant). I still use crutches when out and about. This is partly as warning signs to stop people barging into me (people can be utterly oblivious). Second subject was a misbehaving tenor sax. The saxes haven't had much playing since the house move. I got the tenor out last week to go to a new sort of jazz group. It's didn't go well. I had trouble getting the mouthpiece on the neck, which gave tuning issues. The reed wouldn't 'wet', which causes squeaking. I thought it was out of regulation as well as there were all sort of weird harmonics coming out.... The problem seemed to be that the neck cork had become very dry and 'ruffled' when the mpc was put on which broke the cork. I think that was also an issue with the reeds - they'd just got very dry and needed much more wetting than usual. Nearest woodwind/brass tech is 40 miles away near Maryport, so it was a day out to get the neck re-corked. Last night I managed to get to choir in Keswick. It was too risky to go with the ice last week. Messiah this term. I've not done it as a main choir concert piece for quite a few years (probably about 15) but I have sung it many times since then in various workshops and 'come and sing' events. I've probably sung it about 100 times over the last thirty-odd years.

I had lessons with Jack Corcoran - he's based near Welshpool I think. He's a youngish music grad specialises in bass, drums, and keys I think. He was involved with Rock School Whitchurch when I lived in the area.

An update... Late afternoon on Christmas Eve I had an appointment at the Fracture Clinic with a consultant orthopaedic surgeon. The cast was removed and more x-rays were taken, this time under load. The good news was that ankle joint/socket is all OK. Despite the significant amount of bruising, no other contributing factors were discovered. The tendons and ligaments are intact. I'm now in a boot splint rather than a cast and it is load bearing, which means I can sort of walk, albeit carefully and with crutches. Boot can be removed for bed - a huge relief after dealing with the cast. I was also cleared to drive given it's my left foot and I drive an automatic. Boot needed until about the end of January and physio will follow. I can now manage myself without quite so much need for third parties to lend a hand - I couldn't even make a cup of coffee last week.

Yes, I have. I think the tally is two ski trips to Jasper, three to Banff, and 1 to Panorama. The only summer trip was to the Yukon as part of an Alaskan trip - and that was 30 years ago... Last trip to Banff was about 20 years ago. As a solo traveller, ski trips are expensive anyway, but Canada gets very expensive because the hotel rooms are family rooms and so the single supplements are large. I have never skied in the US (and won't now at all) as the price gouging for single travellers is even worse. Also, it's generally more expensive as Canadian ski pass costs are more than 50% more than say French ones, equipment hire is also more expensive than in Europe. I'll have to wait to getting signed-off from the injury before committing to booking, but I'd expect to make it to Banff around January 2027.

Yes, I booked the trip in January to Banff - two week ski trip. I enjoy visiting Canada and I've not been for ages. Next winter is the earliest it will be feasible

Ummm... yesterday was a bit if a disaster. I was washing a car on teh drive and I hadn't spotted some of the snow foam concentrate had dripped onto the drive. It is VERY slippery. Over I go, my left foot is at an unnatural angle, there's a sharp pain and I've broken my leg just below the knee. Local urgent treatment centre saw me. Took 4 x-rays to show the real issue was at the knee not ankle. I now have a plaster cast up to the knee and two crutches. A consultant will do a telephone update/review probably today. I was supposed to be going to Canada in 4 weeks for skiing. That's off and I will have to claim on insurance. Hope it goes better than my NZ Covid trip did. I'm also hosting Christmas... It is extremely difficult to just make coffee let alone anything more complex. Tidying the house - impossible without paying for someone to come in and do it.