Progress with Gaudeamus Programme

Hi! Progress has been made :)

I have been working on my Gaudeamus programme a lot recently - pretty much any spare moment. Squeeeezing in minutes between students, getting in that last half hour before 10.30pm (this is the moment when I relieve my neighbours of the cacophony of sounds that are my current practice line-up!)

I'm looking forward to recording Thomas Hewitt Jones's 'Shades of Grief' with Tommy, in London, in about a week. We've had a couple of sessions pencilled in before now, but poor Tommy has had a virus. I admit that I was grateful when we had to postpone the first session, as I still had some way to go before a recording session would have gone smoothly! Then, when we had to put it back for the second time, I was really raring to go, so I was a little disappointed. However, after a few days not playing that piece, it has really settled and I'm about to get to work on it again today, feeling much fresher :)

I've made a bit of a practise schedule and so far have two run-through type performances of my competition programme to look forward to. First of all on Tuesday 22nd March at 4.15pm I am going to perform at my old school, Stamford High School. Then, on Thursday 31st March at 7.30pm I shall perform in public at Oakham Chapel.

I am looking forward to another trip to the Netherlands in February to study with Erika Waardenburg again. Also, a lesson with Hugh Webb in England, pianist Di Xiao and another lesson with Ernestine in the Netherlands if I can manage it....so much to look forward to - so much inspiration! Yes, THIS is why I subject myself to competitions!

So, off I go to the harp - I plan on putting up some photos soon of my percussion layout for The Crown of Ariadne by Schafer, as I find it really fascinating. Also, GREAT news - I have been accepted onto the masterclass with Judy Loman and the composer himself, R.M. Schafer, in Vancouver this July. This will be an absolute once-in-a-lifetime experience and I am so grateful to have been accepted. I am going to meet Judy, one of my harp idols, and receive the composer's own input on his wonderful music. Lucky me :)

Thanks again to Wingate Scholarship for the opportunity and the motivation!

Ellie