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!