TSO and chamber music concerts

The regional tour was a lot of fun. It was my first crack at principal bass with the TSO - a real blast. It was a one bass gig, a great program of baroque and early classical pieces, including Biber Battalia (and all the fun of Bartok pizzes, and paper under the strings to make the bass sound like a snare drum), JC Bach Symphony no 6 (real sturm and drang happening) and Haydn 43.

After a week in Melbourne came my first gig with Elanee Ensemble, who are Jo St Leon and Stuart Thomson (pictured). They are a Viola and Bass duo, establishing a fabulous repertoire for this quirky but very effective pairing. I was in the Rolla Concertino a Tre, originally written for viola, cello and bassoon, but performed on this occasion by viola and two basses. Great fun, and lots of floor rumbling sonorities.

My next chamber gig is on Sunday 24/3, when I retackle Failing and play the Dittersdorf Duetto with Will Newbery.


Photo - you put your bass down for 5 mins and some bloke picks it up! Stuart Thomson trying out the Lott in the new studio, that is almost finished and ready for me to move in!

Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra

We are now about half way thro my 12 week contract with the TSO. Am still having a ball. I nipped back to Melbourne last week after recordings for The Australian Ballet, just before the 2nd Symphony Under the Stars gig in Launceston. We call outdoor gigs "muddy field" dates in the UK, for obvious reason - no mud here, just thoasands of people having a great time.

I am currently up to eyeballs practcing for three programs:-

this weeks regional tour - its my first gig as principal bass with the TSO

on 16/3 I do a chamber concert with the Elanee Ensemble, and Stuart Thomson's arrangement of the Rolla Concertino is tricky for all of us

and the next chamber gig is on 24/3, with Will Newbery, doing the Dittersdorf Duetto for Viola and Bass, plus I have agreed to do Failing!

The Tassie summer is still glorious, hi 20s or even clipping the 30s. Long may it continue.

Photo - Michael Fortescue, moi and Hugh Kluger, doing the Hobart SUTS gig. I think its my best side!

Glorious Tasmania

I have now moved out of the Old Woolstore and into Stuart Thomsons spare room. He is building a studio in the garden, and when its done I will move in there for the rest of my time in Tazzie, ie up until 20th April.

Still having a ball, great weather, mild summer, lots of sunshine, and its fun being in paradise. Nicky has arrived in Australia and popped over for the weekend - we visited lots of groovy places around the top of the island.

We are now well and truly into the years programs. The last one was great fun - I played chimes in Ross Edwards piece Tyalgum Mantras, an atmospheric Australian work for didgeridoo and mixed ensemble, plus 12 chimists (if such a word exists) dotted around the hall.

We have started work on the Rolla trio, for my debut with the Elanee Ensemble next month. Its a trio originally written for viola, cello and bassoon, but we are doing it for viola and two basses. Some groovy low sonorities...and lots of notes!

Back in Australia, and 3 months with the Tasmanian Symphony

Its great to be back in Oz. The body took a bit of time readjusting from sub zero temperatures and snow, to bushfire heat.

Luckily I am spending my first three months with the TSO. My database tells me I have done 62 programs with the TSO over the past 16 years, probably the equivilant of two years full time work. I love it down here - good food, wine, company, clean air, amazing countrysie and wildlife and a wonderful orchestra. Robin is in the UK for 3 more months, so I am here on contract.

I get the chance to put the Lott to work in earnest - play it in, and really get to work out how to bring the best out of it.

And as the photo shows, I brought the bike over and am working on the next phase of Project Little Belly, which is tricky when the food and wines are so fantastic here. Ah well, we can only try...

On lighter note, er literally, I am in the Old Woolstore hotel in Hobart, where most of the TSO "ring ins" stay. It's wonderful. My suite has its own washing machine, and I just found out that what the cycle is finished it sings the Die Forelle theme from the Trout Quintet. How apt!!

Back in the UK....its cold!

In early Dec 2012 we returned to the UK. I picked up my latest bass, Grandaddy Lott. Wow, its wonderful. Nicky tells me that thats it....for now!

Photos - with Leanda Smith and Sylvia Hosking, backstage at The Impossible Orchestra gig in Melbourne on 28th October. I love my job!!

I nipped up to do a gig with Opera North in Dewsbury - it is always wonderful to share a desk with Claire Sadler. We did Messiah excerpts and Britten's St Nicolas - am starting to feel all Christmassy now!

In Tasmania

I love Tazzie. I have been working as a casual with the Tasmaina Symphony Orchestra for over 15 years. They are wonderful in every way. Last night was Chirelles leaving do, after 37 years in the orchestra. And Rob has been there longer! I have seen many functions like this over the years. They are like a big family, but one that plays fantastically well.

Last week was remarkable, my first chance to work with Ashkenzy. Lovely bloke, great musician. There was a real buzz on stage and in the audience.

I will play my last gig on the Kennedy this weekend, in Launceston. The last time I played there in mid 2010 was my last gig on another English bass, my Tarr.

Before the TSO work I was lucky enough to work with Firebird Trio and Caroline Henbest, performing the Trout in the Salon, at Melbourne's Recital Centre. Wow, great fun working with such talented musos, it was a blast. Josie Vains plays a Kennedy cello, and the photos shows us comparing Kennedys just before going on stage. Trust a cellist to jump straight into thumb position!! Her cellos makes the same sound as my bass, rich dark English heaven.

My fixed bookings for 2013 are on the Gigs page - some great stuff coming up with MSO and TSO. The "gaps" kin the diary are filling.

Its raining on Melbourne Cup day...

...no surprises there. It can be 30 degrees and baking, or howling with rain. Green Moon won the race, if you are interested.

I have just finished one of the most intense working periods of my career. Lots of great stuff, but am tired. The Impossible Orchestra (see photo) was both those things, intense and tiring. The project was to raise awareness of 24 hour carers, in behalf of Care Aware. Brett Kelly masterminded an orchestral performance that ran for 24 hours from 5pm on Sat 27th Oct and ran none stop thro until 5pm Sunday, split into 8 x 3 hour gigs. I did the first and last, then had to chisel myself out of bed for the 5am and then 8am gigs, which meant I played 9 out of the lst 12 hours. Wonderful show, great comeradery, and memories that will stay with me forever.

Next was the 50th Gala of the Australian Ballet. We were blessed with amazing international soloists from Tokyo, Stuttgart, San Fransisco, China, as well as the full force of TAB. Another amazing show.

I have sold the Kennedy - so am down to only two basses once more. Nicky will be happy! Steve Newton is the new custodian of one of the best basses I have ever had the pleasure to play. I wish them both a long and fruitful partnership.

Contracts are starting to come in for 2013. Its looking like 3 months with the Tasmanian Symphony starting in Jan and 2 months with the Melbourne Symphony in July/Aug. The gaps are likely to be filled with Orchestra Victoria.