I was delighted to have the opportunity to chat on BBC radio Somerset about all my projects and in particular music for dressage.

I found the live interview more than a little nerve wracking and the fact that I had had to slide into Taunton through snow and ice did not help!

However,Emma Britton was an excellent interviewer and coaxed some reasonable responses from me.

Since the interview I have had numerous requests for the track Emma played on air,my french folk song.

This track can be found by following the Soundcloud  link on this page.

If you missed me on the radio you can listen again here.

18 performances at nursing and care homes to do this month.

PB is ready to start recording her Music Challenge Project.

Kirsty has decided on her trot music for her novice freestyle dressage,so I can now look for matching canter and walk music and then adapt the music for her floorplan. She has also ordered music for her more advanced horse.

Its been a busy few weeks here with loads of practise and preparation going on.

The first big event of the year was the grand opening of  the new Eastleigh Care Home in South Molton. This is a stunning new development with excellent facilities. I was honored to be part of the team for this opening event and hope to play there regularly for the residents.
I had a lovely day in Watford playing for Deborah and James’ wedding. Then 3 hours sleep before performing and promoting at the wedding fair in Dunster tithe barn. I met up with Geoff Ryder from Star turns. He was delightful to share a stage with,being calm,considerate and professional. I have come away with ‘lights’ envy though!

February is looking very busy in the care homes with booking coming in thick and fast. I am looking forward to working in new venues and meeting new people.

 
Phoebe has been issued with her sponsor form for her Music Challenge Project. She is raising money for the Conquest center. Her family have links with this wonderful establishment so she has loads of incentive to get sponsors and to get practising!

I have also been lucky enough to have a couple of days off which happened to co-incide with lovely weather,so i have been able to scrape the mud off my horse and enjoy a gentle hack in the beautiful Exmoor countryside.

It turned out to be a very busy evening at Dunster Tithe Barn The acoustics are brilliant there and the gallery makes a perfect space for wandering minstrels like me.

The crowds began flocking in to see the owls and Johnny Kingdom at about 4.30pm. I provided some seasonal background music to keep people amused and foot tapping while they waited for their chat with the owls or Johnny.

The crowd did not thin until well after eight, but thanks to the relaxed atmosphere of the event I was able to take frequent breaks and refuel with food, coffee and close encounters with celebrities!

There was loads to do and see both inside and out with JK and the owls in the main barn and the Exmoor Zoo in the meeting room with a fabulous collection of animals and their friendly and informative keepers.

In between sets I had a chance to enjoy the party and meet some interesting people and animals.

She was suprisingly sweet smelling.

All in all a very enjoyable evening and I picked up some useful promotional tips from Steve from the Exmoor Zoo.

He combines his knowledge and passion for animals with a unique dress style!

I wondered whether a distinctive hat would suit my act.

Does it suit me?

I was chatting to Sally P about a forthcoming wedding fair at Dunster Tithe barn and she suggested I turn up ready to play for Dunster by Candlelight. I already had a wedding gig booked for Friday evening, but I am free on Saturday and plan to be ready to play at around 7pm.

So, I’d better get busy and dust off some carols!

Stuck deciding what to buy your loved one this Christmas – looking for an unusual and inspiring present that lasts beyond Christmas day?

Why not buy them a Music Challenge Project Gift Voucher?

You could buy them a taster session and initial consultation for £40 to get them started – or buy a  block of lessons:

12 half hour sessions: £200
12 hour long sessions £350

If you want to play music in a group then discounts are available – or if you would like longer or shorter blocks for a specially tailored voucher then please contact me to arrange something to suit you.

I am currently getting ready to launch my new idea – the Music Challenge Project.

This is aimed at both adults or children who want to learn a particular song and then record it or perform it for their friends or family.

The challenge is:

• Learn to play your favourite piece, whatever it may be, from classical to rock, traditional to garage, on your chosen instrument in just a few months.
• Create a complete, unique version of your song using state of the art equipment and produce a CD of your work.
• Finally, perform your version live in front of a supportive audience.

As an extra bit of motivation participants also have the option to get sponsorship for the challenge to stop them from backing out! My original inspiration came from working with school children who lacked enthusiasm when learning traditional pieces. I noticed they were much more inspired when learning a song that they liked with the goal of producing their own CD. The challenge also includes learning digital recording techniques in the studio and promoting and presenting your work. Some of students have even made videos of themselves performing, here is my former student, Jimmy, playing ‘Apologise’ by Justin Timberlake.

Welcome to my new look blog and website – I’m working on some very exciting projects at the moment – details coming very soon. I’m also going to be putting some more videos on my Youtube channel. My electric violin version of Vivaldi’s Storm has now had 304,000 hits!