Llangollen - it's easy for you to say!

I'm off to the Llangollen International Music Eisteddfod again this week. Hoping to edge up the placings from my 5th spot last year. I feel a lot more prepared for what to expect that I did last year, and am looking forward to the spectacle of the thing as much as performing and competing.

One of the best things about Llangollen is that it's one of the few Eisteddfods where you don't have to sing or speak in Welsh - I've always been glad about that. However, I then decided to sing Rusalka's Song to the Moon by Dvorak, which is in Czech.

Yep. Czech.

All you can do is learn it phonetically and hope for the absolute best. I did sing the song once, only to find out that there was a Czech speaker in the audience. Fortunately she reckoned she could understand me. Maybe there's hope for me yet.....

Miaow

I have had a most mad, whirlwind month! June and July are prime singing season and that's what I've been doing, alongside the teaching and other work!

My best groupies ever, Mum and Dad, were at last weekend's gig - a fantastic outdoor concert in aid of Cancer Research UK. Dad got some photos, including this lovely shot of Penny Turnbull and I singing Rossini's Cat Duet. The cattiest of catfights.....

I think I've got a touch of the Les Dawson about me here. Not sure how I feel about this......