It's October already?

Somehow we've managed to get half way into October and I just don't know where time is disappearing to - I've been so busy! It's amazing though, don't get me wrong, I'm glad the days and weeks don't drag. Oh by the way I'm listening to Stravinsky's Petrushka whilst writing this as I have an orchestral audition in a few weeks time, HELP!

So what have I actually been up to? Well other than the regular academic lessons, there have been quite a few exciting experiences (they just keep coming!) so I'll start chronologically since that makes sense... Thursday afternoon of last week was my first week back on a placement organised by Trinity with a "Young at Heart" group - a gathering of elderly people who we encourage to sing some songs or clap along to our playing. It's fairly slow-paced compared to kids but incredibly rewarding to see the smiles on their faces when they hear and see a real instrument being played in front of them. Soon the Christmas carols will be out to practice in preparation for their Christmas party in December!

Playing in the Royal Albert Hall in April -
didn't get any pictures at York, sorry.

I guess the next thing which spanned the whole of last weekend was actually a trip back to my homeland of Yorkshire with the All Soul's Orchestra. For those of you who haven't heard of them, they're a Christian orchestra based at All Soul's church, near Oxford Street. In April we performed at Prom Praise in the Royal Albert Hall and last weekend we were "on tour" doing a similar event, this time at the York Barbican on stage with St Aidan's School Chamber Choir, Beverley Trotman (from X factor 2007) and the Archbishop of York! It was an incredible event and such a blessing to perform alongside so many talented musicians, with my family as members of the audience. Returning to London on the Sunday afternoon after having been a visitor in Yorkshire was strange and everyone was pretty tired but all in high spirits after a successful weekend.
Most people were heading home for a relaxing evening in but not me - I had the privilege to go and see the West End Heroes concert at Dominion Theatre, a concert in aid of Help for Heroes consisting of West End Actors and military bands performing together. The main act was the RAF Central Band and since my ambition is a career in the RAF bands, this concert was just a perfect end to a fab weekend. My 4 friends and I absolutely loved it and we totally salute all the service men and women, especially those who have given their lives or been injured, a very moving evening, definitely recommend it.

Now finally, this Thursday just gone, my wonderful trumpet teacher was playing in a concert at the Barbican Centre (in London this time) with the BBC Symphony Orchestra. The main reason I went there was because it was the only time we could fit a lesson in, but I'm a very lucky girl and was allowed to watch the afternoon rehearsal and the concert in the evening! What added to the excitement was that the first trumpet player had led our trumpet class at college the week before, so seeing him and my teacher perform in the same section was great!

To be honest, not much of this blog post has been about actual Life at Conservatoire but it's all interlinked right? At least that's what I tell myself. On a more conservatoire-y point, I have done loads of arranging for my brass quintet this week, I seem to have got the bug! If you're looking forward to hearing us perform at some point, Bare Necessities and The Entertainer may well be on the programme... Anyway enough of me nattering, I hope you're having a great term so far, if not, remember Christmas isn't that far away!

S x