It has been another busy but varied and immensely rewarding few months.
In January I was interviewed by Westlands Entertainment Centre in Yeovil. The questions about my musical career were thought-provoking and made me really think about why I do what I do for a living – the interview can be read here:
And in February and April I returned to Westlands with another diverse musical offering – classical music such as Bach, Chopin, Rachmaninov, Grieg, Satie and Khatchaturian as well as many jazz ballads and pop music from Burt Bacharach to Sam Smith. The audience really seemed to appreciate the breadth of my repertoire which was great to hear. Everyone has a favourite style of music and my aim is to ensure that they are catered for with what I choose to play.
March brought another open day at Brympton House, outside Yeovil where I got to meet a lovely couple whose wedding I will be playing for this Christmas, my first Christmas wedding!
Later in March came the Highbridge Festival of the Arts. My pupils who took part ranged from the ages of 10 to 76. It was a successful day with 4 gold medals (3 with Honours), 3 silver medals and 1 bronze. One child and an adult had never competed in a music competition before but the child came first in her class! The repertoire they played included pieces by Schumann, Schubert, Ginastera, Kabalevsky, Michael Head, William Gillock and the contemporary Japanese composer, Nobuyuki Tsujii. They all worked very hard over a period of many months to prepare for this competition, with several of them performing their pieces from memory, which is a testament to their dedication. In addition, they travelled to the north of the county (a distance of around 30 miles) to take part in the competition which shows real commitment.
I had some good exam results at both ends of the musical spectrum this term with the ARSM Performer’s Diploma and Grade 1! I also took on some new students, a little boy and an adult lady who is returning to the piano after a long absence. As ever, exam preparation is ongoing, with Grades 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 coming up.
I look forward to another stimulating term of music-making – and hopefully, some warmer weather, after a rather chilly Spring!
Caroline x 🎹 ❤️