My last few performances have been at Assembly Roxy, Melville Castle, The George Hotel and St Peter's RC Church in Morningside. Quite a variety there!
I've played at Melville Castle and the George Hotel (now re-named 'The Principal') many times over the years, but Assembly Roxy and St Peter's were new to me. The gig at Assembly Roxy was a themed masked ball for a 30th birthday party (what fun!). What really struck me about the venue was how incredibly friendly and helpful the staff were.
The building itself is a converted church, and it retains some of that atmosphere - I love looking at all the old plaques on the wall and imagining the people who would have worked and worshipped there in the past.
St Peter's was lovely. One notable thing about the wedding that I played for at St Peter's, last weekend, was that rather than the ceremony beginning with the familiar words, 'can everyone please stand for the entrance of the bride', the service began with no words at all, just the simple chiming of a bell. That was my cue to begin the Bridal March. It was a lovely gentle start to a beautiful ceremony.
A wee composing update:
I am in the process of polishing off my historical mini-musical. This has been so much fun to do. I don't yet have a title, so my husband (who wrote the words) and I are still thinking on that one. The piece is scored for choir and piano, and there are a few solos amongst the other numbers. Ideally I'd love to perform it with a children's choir. Watch this space.
The full symphonic version of my 2016 score 'This is My Beloved' is now complete, and I am looking forward to a future performance by the Sydney Contemporary Orchestra in Australia.
A small extract of this work (re-scored, for oboe, organ, choir and clarsach) will form part of a special service this Sunday, at St James' Church in Pennicuik, under David McGavin. I went to hear the choir rehearse last Thursday, and it was so special to begin to hear the music take shape and come to life.