So I’ve been out watching the ballet yet again!! It’s beginning to grow on me, I never realised how much fun it could be, and the atmosphere tonight was awesome! Particularly watching the aged yet energetic Sir Jon Trimmer, who’s been at this lark for over 50 years!!

I’ll remember this ballet for a good while, it even had a good few laugh out loud moments through the three acts; Gary Harris’ take on this piece is a refreshing departure from the original Russian Ballet interpretation and if I could afford it, I’d go and watch it again tomorrow!

Anyways…I’m tired now and in need of sleep so I am off to bed now, enough culture for one evening eh?

So, for a change I went to the ballet tonight; along with Rachael’s family, to watch her sisters Emily and Charlotte perform with The Imperial Russian Ballet Company. I’ve only ever seen the ballet once before and ‘that’ time was ironically the same ballet back in the UK, not sure who performed it as I was only about 9-10 at the time! Anyways…Emily and Charlotte were the true stars ;p - I even survived Rachael’s cooking too!! Ok ok….you can “actually” cook (sorry). As for the ballet itself - apart from a couple of wardrobe malfunctions and parts of the set falling down it was awesome! Although Rachael being a ballet dancer herself was a little more critical of parts than I - lol!

In other news, I may be moving into the big city, if a certain apartment is available. So watch this space, it’s still only a rental, thanks to my situation in the UK I couldn’t buy a property even if I wanted too…unless I won the Lotto?

I’m off to bed now, so catch ya’ll laters…

I’ve just got back from the Fowler Centre, this evening where I was delighted to watch Christian Lindberg playing with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, and hopefully the Principle Trombone player (Dave Bremner) was pleasantly surprised to see me there too! Since he conducts our Brass Band!! An emotional evening and a musically rich one too!

The first half consisted of Rachmaninov’s The Rock (Opus 7) and certainly set the scene for an awesome program; this was followed by Lindberg playing and conducting the Wagenseil Trombone Conerto a very barocian flavoured interlude indeed! This is topped off with Linbergs own composition “Helikon Wasp” which is classical and contemporary and modern at the same time, and certainly an extremly fun piece to listen too, with a certain poetry in a league of it’s own! Not as good as his Motorcycle Odessy some might say; but I liked it - so that’s all that matters

Then there was the interval, where ‘Rachael’ saunters down the aisle (she’s a fellow brass bandy) and I’m like ‘arn’t you supposed to be at work??’ some people want their cake AND eat it I guess; so as not to be the hippocrit I make nothing of it ;p and enjoy the rest of the program in her company

The second half is Tchaikovsky beginning with Le Voyevoda Symphonic Ballad (Opus 78) which has all the Tchaikovsky hallmarks, and stirred my emotional centre nicely. Then the program finished with the Romeo & Juliet Fantasy Overture which some may find corny; but for me it is a very personal and emotion piece - and it almost brought me to tears. Whether or not it was the accoustic in the hall; which is fantastic by the way, or the memory attached to the music which is buried deep down inside, I cannot decide. Or maybe I can and I just can’t share it here; since it is so personal to me?

Anyway, when Christian Lindberg wasn’t conducting, Hannu Lintu WAS!! and boy can he conduct! Or should I say dance with the way he wielded the baton; I was mesmerised by his style, it was almost like he was Harry Potter and the baton his wand! simply magical!

I’m off now to chill and remember a few old memories over a glass of wine. I can’t promise I won’t cry tonight - but then it’s a healthy thing so I won’t supress this emotion I am feeling right now. Tonight I remember my first kiss, as if it were yesterday. Nuff said.

I’m nothing if not inventive, granted it wasn’t my idea, but tonight’s socialisation involved going to a Ceilidh Night, where I was introduced to some orchestra players; friends of a friend so to speak - and I was treated to a night of learning a number of Ceilidh Dances, can’t remember all the names, but the more memorable were - ‘Strip the Willow’ and ‘Nottingham Swing’ though there were a good few others too, and in between whilst we rested various members of the group did party pieces from poetry, to singing to music!

A night of culture, good company… no GREAT company and best of all?? It cost me not one single penny (unless you count the petrol it cost me to drive there and back).

This was just the medicine I needed to get out of my current doldrums, so please pretty much desregard my last post because, really - its all good

P.S. Thank you Rachael for inviting me - you’re a cool mate; and fellow cornet player; Top Marks!!