Making music

It's all about the music here at the moment.

Number one son has successfully charmed the brass teacher at school and is going to start his much longed-for trombone lessons this week. Doesn't sound much but this is at least 2 years earlier than the school normally puts children forward to learn an instrument. Credit to them for supporting what could have been misinterpreted as pushy parents and letting him try!

Number 2 son did some charming of his own on Saturday afternoon as he donned a miniature band uniform and joined Mike on stage for the first half of a band concert at the Central Hall. he did amazingly well and was quiet and still while the band played. He only conducted once! Once we arrived back from the party the oldest had been to, he joined us, but not before many an old lady had winked at him and told him that he was a "bobby dazzler".

I sang in a concert on Saturday night, in memory of a lovely man's late wife. The lovely man in question is Harold Rich who is a musician of real experience and skill. He worked at the BBC for many, many years and was musical director for Pebble Mill at One (for those of you too young to remember, this was a kind of forerunner to Richard and Judy, just at lunchtime and on BBC for a very long time).

He's the kind of person that is so unassuming that you forget the kind of life he's led. I sat deep in conversation with him one day and (being the wrong side of extremely old) he couldn't remember the name of the person he'd accompanied on a particular song. He kept going over and over, trying to remember, and kept saying that he was a "Spanish chap". I could only think of one and, jokingly, asked if he meant Jose Carreras. He did. I shut up.

The concert on Saturday was in memory of Joyce who died a little while ago. She was also a very lovely person. My one abiding memory was the first time I ever met either of them. I turned up at their house to rehearse for a concert and, not having been able to find a babysitter, had a very small boy in tow. Joyce played and played with my little chap while I sang and was so charming and generous about it. A lovely lady. The concert was a great tribute and as there was literally standing room only left, a good deal of money was raised for charity too. That's a good way to spend an evening.....