Days 3 & 4 of the SOL adventure!

Day 3 was the day for Saaaath Laaandan and brought with it an even wider variety of venues and audiences. We started with something a little different at Lewisham Music Hub with a gig in the break time of the kids’ Saturday morning music school. It was awesome to see so many youngsters with instruments, all eager to listen and get involved, so we invited as many of them as were willing to come and join us all in a grand finale! We had a strong team of cellos and there was an impressive array of trumpets, flutes, violins and percussion too. We moved on to a very different setting and audience, at the Open Estate Gardens at Central Hill. The residents here are facing the horrendous threat of their houses’ demolition by Lambeth Council, so they all gathered together this weekend in their beautifully green communal gardens to unite and fight to save their homes – truly inspiring. There was a fantastically strong, friendly community spirit here, which was evident as soon as we arrived. They fed and watered us, painted our faces, and generally welcomed us with open arms! We played a great mix of rep; one of the residents popped up to conduct W&G, and there were a couple of the most beautiful puppies you’ve ever laid eyes on. This gig felt very powerful, as there was a real sense of purpose and strength amongst the people there, which was pretty amazing to witness.

Also on this day of tour, we had a BBC crew following us all day – ooh la la! The presenter, Simon, also happened to be a cracking saxophonist, so he joined us for a few of the gigs – meanwhile, we were all striving to remain camera-ready throughout the day, just in case the moment for a starring role presented itself… ;)

We moved on for a public performance at North Greenwich Tube Station, which was a crazy one involving half of the orchestra playing up and down the escalators, some epic dancing (also from a male audience member with impressively long locks and colourful clothing – he was loving the vibes, and I was enjoying his enthusiasm!) After this gig, we hopped back on the coach to travel to your evening gig location – the Cutty Sark in Greenwich. I was particularly excited to be back in my old Junior Trinity stomping ground and loved revisiting (from the coach!) the majestic buildings and expanses of green overlooking the river. Such a beautiful place.

By this point of tour, we had all pretty much began re-imagining every playground, car park, mode of transport, covered archway, bandstand etc as a potential gig venue… so when the coach pulled up directly in front of a colourful carousel outside Cutty Sark, we were all itching to whack out our instruments and go for a spin. After some gentle persuasion from our conductor, the lovely carousel owner agreed to let us on with our instruments! Hands down, this was one of the most exhilarating/terrifying/exciting/giddy experiences I’ve had… I was standing in a very fancy dragon boat, along with another cello, a double bass and some mobile timps, and we could see violinists, oboists, saxophonists all anxiously clinging onto their mutli-coloured horses! We played the most adrenaline-fuelled rendition of the Ski Sunday theme that certainly the people of Greenwich had ever heard… And we kept it surprisingly together! This strange sight was attracting a growing crowd, which was perfect for promoting our planned evening gig outside the Cutty Sark… the only challenge at this point was walking in a straight line in order to reach said gig. Btw, if anyone feels they are lacking in a bit of harmless excitement or is in need of 5 minutes of pure fun – locate your nearest carousel (I would recommend perhaps boarding without the company of your euphonium/bass drum/bassoon though!)

The atmosphere for our Cutty Sark gig amongst both audience and players was fizzing away, so it was sure to be a really fun evening. There was an abundance of energy and life in this concert. There was also a magical moment of calm in the second half when the wind and brass played a beautiful Gabrielli piece whilst an unforgettable sunset created a constantly transforming, beautiful backdrop. It was really special to watch and listen to this scene in the midst of all of the dancing and singing that occurred either side in the concert programme. We celebrated this memorable evening with some lovely sing-songs on the way back to the hostel.

It was surreal to wake up to our last day of the tour on Sunday, and to begin to think about returning to ‘reality’! However, we still had a fantastically full day of gigs ahead of us, which began with a guerrilla performance in the middle of the madness at Columbia Road flower market. This was brief, but epic! Some of the orchestra members again had to use their most polite powers of persuasion with one of the Columbia Road buskers, who allowed us to invade his busking pitch for 5 minutes – legend! It was awesome to be playing amongst London’s hippest of the hip determined to carry on with their Sunday morning plant shopping/coffee run, as well as those who were keen to stop and listen. There were people darting around everywhere, so it was a bit crazy, but totally wonderful, especially in such colourful, vibrant surroundings. We returned to the coach to find a parking fine, but very little could dampen SOL spirits and as the bright yellow ticket beautifully matched our tour t-shirts, tour manager Craig took the opportunity for a parking fine selfie!

We then had a change of energy and focus, as we played at Mary Seacole Nursing Home, which was another emotional, incredible experience. The residents at the home were waiting for our arrival in their beautiful garden, and the staff were very welcoming and appreciative of our music. There was a wonderful gentleman in his chair at the front, who was the most vocal audience member and he was incredibly engaged with what Peter would say and sing, often repeating phrases and singing along to his fave tunes. A beautiful smile lit up his face for the entire visit, which I will never forget! Many of the players found this experience to be very moving, and I think it’s one of the gigs that will stay with us for a while. Afterwards, I spoke to a lady also in the front row who I soon realised was unable to speak. I told her a little about what we’d been up to all week and where we were off to next, and I very quickly realised that this lady was entirely internalising everything I was describing to her, and I felt an extreme sense of frustration for her that she couldn’t respond with words... but we really did have our own conversation, even though I initially felt that I was just talking at her, rather than with. We were communicating just with eye contact and with the feeling that we had just shared in some music together. It’s hard to describe the way in which music can communicate in this way – sometimes when all of the ‘usual’ channels of communication are down, there’s something about music that means this potential difficulty simply doesn’t exist.

It was now time to gather our thoughts and travel onto our lunchtime gig, which was held by the bandstand at Arnold Circus. Some pretty sassy Snoop Dog rapping occurred at this concert, with a super-confident audience member spitting some mean lyrics! There were also some awesome solos from a few of the orchestra members and us celli stumbled upon some fresh dance moves. We were still managing to avoid the rain at this point, but our eyes were very much tuned into all of the weather apps ahead of our next gig in Regent’s Park.

Just as a little aside, one of the unexpected challenges of the SOL tour presented itself in the form of the unknown location or even existence of one’s next toilet opportunity..! Never in one week have I performed so many concerts at full-bladder capacity! I know this is TMI, but I also know that many of my fellow SOL member would agree that this occupied many of our thoughts, much of the time! The Regent’s Park gig was particularly touch and go for me in this regard.. OKAY, enough! We played in and around the bandstand by the water in Regent’s Park, which oozed a relaxed, Sunday afternoon atmosphere. Luckily, the rain held off (and there were no accidents..!) but back on the coach we had a decision to make, as the weather was not looking so good for our final gig in Leicester Square. We decided to bring the start time of our Leicester Square gig forward in order to avoid getting drenched – which turned out to be a very wise decision! There was still time, however, to squeeze in a crowded guerrilla performance in Piccadilly Circus – which was all hustle and bustle, and loads of fun. We also sadly had to wave a fond farewell to our super-friendly, trusty coach driver Ian, who played such a vitally important yet happy and humorous part on our tour. There was definitely lots of love in the air for Ian!

So, our final gig came and went in a flash, but was another wonderful occasion with an enthusiastic audience and plenty of great vibes. It was also sad to think about this gig being the last we would all enjoy together for a while, and it was strange to think that just a week before we hadn't known each other or played music together. It was quite incredible that in the space of just one week we had experienced so much, given and gained such a lot, and shared in so much groovy music and pure joy!

Bring on the SOL tour - take 2...
Pol x

SOL - The Tour (Days 1 and 2)!

The first day of our SOL tour began with one of our most challenging venues - Heathrow Immigration Detention Centre. I don't think I was alone in feeling a little apprehensive about visiting a place that seemed so unfamiliar and unknown. We were advised beforehand that many of the people staying at these centres were being held for undetermined periods of time, so they could be facing days/weeks/months of anxiety and uncertainty. After we had passed through security, photos, ID, fingerprints etc we were escorted to the sports hall, which was our first concert venue. After feeling a little anxious about our presence there, I soon realised that our role there was pretty simple - to share our love for music in a human, ego-less, genuine way. Maybe that sounds a little airy-fairy, but it was completely evident that playing music in this way will resonate with so many people, no matter their circumstance, age, race, background or existing interest in music... We played the opening movement of Beethoven 7 in the first detention centre at Heathrow, and the people there really listened and engaged with us. The atmosphere in the room during the Beethoven was electric. One man stepped up to the podium to conduct Wallace and Grommit, and another guy rapped an awesome free-style verse in our Snoop Dog arrangement (after some gentle persuasion..!). If I had felt at all unsure of unconvinced of our presence there, by the end of the first gig the penny had definitely dropped for me! After this first visit, we were all much more familiar with the set-up and generally how we all worked and played together, so going into the New Horizon Youth Centre felt great. This venue was a real squish however, so it was just as well (purely for space reasons, guys!) that a few of the orchestra members had split-off to go and play at Queensmill School for autistic children. Their visit sounded really wonderful - they also had an impromptu busk/jam with a lady at the piano in St Pancrass Station! At the youth centre, we had a fantastically enthusiastic audience... almost with a rap or two, but we couldn't quite persuade them to take to the mic. It was another great gig, but also quite a relief to break out into the fresh air afterwards, and to enjoy a refreshing pint/pimms/bevvy at the local pub!

The finale of Day 1 was absolutely EPIC. We had a planned performance outside the entrance to King's Cross Station, but...wait for it... during rush hour! We had a slight delay with music and stands arriving, and as we had already attracted a growing crowd with our sunny yellow t-shirts and army of instrument cases, we decided to perform our two memorised pieces there and then. We very quickly got an idea of the awesome atmosphere of the evening ahead, as passers by were stopping, filming, listening... this later turned into a full-on celebration, with the usually-poker-faced London commuters dancing swing, salsa, free-style...! It was a wicked evening and even the rain didn't deter the crowd, or stop the full-blooded sing along to Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner!


Day 2 of tour was perhaps one of my favourites… although I feel like that's unfair to the other super duper gigs we played and people we met! Actually, I simply can't choose a favourite day... so cancel that! We started in Dalston Library and played a Guerrilla performance in a park in Hackney - this was a cool gig, as a school girl from the audience took to the mic for a verse of Snoop Dog  - and she could RAP! Effortlessly cool. It was also a lovely surprise to bump into a friend and fellow musician at this gig - he just happened to be working at the children's centre next to the park and heard some noise! There was also a lovely chance to sit and chill with some lunch after this gig and the sun even came out for a burst!

Also on Day 2, we played at St Joseph’s Hospice in Hackney, which was a very moving experience and one of those unforgettable ones. It was a wonderful surprise to see the patients, residents, staff and visitors already excitedly gathered for our arrival in the main waiting area of the hospice; so it was time for another shot at a super-quick set-up. We again played Beethoven 7, followed by a few upbeat, Latin-American numbers and some wonderful songs with our super soloist, Peter. The lump-in-the-throat moment for me was when we finished with Maybe It's Because I'm a Londoner, and Peter passed the microphone to several audience members to hear them sing a line or two. It was really special to feel the whole room singing and to see everyone smiling.. really enjoying that moment and losing any inhibition or hyper-awareness of the situation. Pretty cool for a room full of 'strangers' (we definitely left as friends!) After the gig, a few of us chatted with members of the audience. The lady (Lucy) who had conducted this morning's rendition of W&G was buzzing, with a beaming smile, and she told me that she runs a weekly choir there, which sounded like such a valuable part of the residents' time at the hospice - in fact, you could see the residents looking to Lucy throughout the concert for guidance or reassurance.. or just to exchange an excitable smile. Another older gentleman, with the kindest eyes I have ever seen, spoke to a few of us about how happy he felt to see so many lovely young people coming together to share their passion with others, and spreading positivity at such a dark time for many. This was really touching and I felt so lucky to be there with everyone.

The ever-threatening rain was still holding off for our next gig in London Fields (a particular fave of mine). This was another park gig and it pretty much turned into a full-on party. There were kids galore, all desperate for the chance to conduct the orchestra, so they formed an orderly queue before taking to the podium for a few bars of Carmen or Wallace..! There was a particularly lovely little boy who had clearly just finished the best day at school - he had paint, chalk, colouring pens, mud, grass... you name it and it was strewn across his polo shirt (and face!) and this boy danced beautifully to a lot of our music. He looked so free and uninhibited - miss those days!! In this gig, we went for a spontaneous walkabout (even us celli) during one of the pieces in which you'd struggle to sit still (there were plenty of those)! The audience members at this gig were awesome - just so completely into it, which I think really rubbed off on us musicians. Later, we had a wonderful stop-off at a pizza garden in Dalston – any Londoners should go and check it out this Summer. It’s like a calm oasis in the middle of the city, with flowers, bird feeders, blankets and hot water bottles and perrrfect pizza… all of life’s simple pleasures! Our last gig of day 2 was another awesome event and was held in Dalston Square. We decided to start this gig with a pizza-fuelled rendition of Ski Sunday, but with the orchestra interspersed amongst the crowd. It was such a fun way to start the concert and a great ice-breaker for the audience... also, I will never stop loving walking around with a cello and grooving out with other musicians, as well as total ‘strangers’! It feels kind of weird to call anyone we encountered on this tour ‘strangers’, because there really wasn’t ever any ounce of a divide or barrier between those of us playing and those of us who were ‘audience’ or passers-by at the gigs, in fact the line was often completely blurred/non-existent, which is sadly something that cannot often be said about the way we experience concerts and live music…

Stay tuned for days 3&4, featuring escalators, carousels, sunsets, flower markets... the lot!

Street Orchestra of London - 24 concerts in 4 days! The preparations...

When I auditioned for SOL earlier this year, I knew that I was auditioning for something that was perhaps a little quirky and definitely very exciting, but I really had absolutely no idea at that time just how unique, inspiring, and powerful this project would be!

The Street Orchestra of London has been modelled on an existing Dutch ensemble called the Ricciotti Ensemble, which has been running for many years already. This tour with SOL was the first of its kind in the UK, so it was a new venture for everyone involved. The orchestra aims to break barriers between the players and the audience, to reach new audiences in new locations (and ALL locations!) and to share music with all members of the community.

SOL's slogan reads: Music for everyone, anywhere... I think we definitely proved not only that this concept is a possibility, but also that it is necessary and beyond valuable for everyone involved!

Us players met each other for the first time on Monday afternoon, when it soon became clear that the coming week was going to be pretty damn cool. The other members of SOL had all chosen SOL for the same reason - to share music, which kind of sounds simplistic... but we truly all had this in common! From day 1 it was already so refreshing to meet all of these wonderful musicians, each with their own vibe/style/background, but each with a passion for getting out there in the community, sharing in high quality music-making and having heaps of fun in the process.

Days 1, 2 & 3 were all about rehearsing, getting to know each other and getting to grips with the 23 (or was it 24!?) pieces of repertoire that we would be taking on tour later in the week. We were delving into rep including: Beethoven 7, Bizet's Carmen, works by Donizetti, Puccini, Gabrielli... David Bowie, Gershwin, Piazzolla, Snoop Dog, the theme tune from Ski Sunday - we pretty much dabbled in every genre, which was loads of fun! We also played some new commissions/works by composers Gabriel Prokofiev and Charlotte Harding.. so we had some hefty 9-hour rehearsal days in order to get our fingers and brains in gear, punctuated by truly yummy meals at our hostel, made by our very own tour managers who achieved the impossible - feeding 40 hungry musicians whilst running the whole shebang - pretty incredible! We had plenty of time to get to know one another, as we stayed in a youth hostel near our rehearsal venue, and opposite a lovely pub. The pub owners probs weren't too sure what had hit them on night 1, when a gaggle of thirsty musicians entered their doors, but by the end of the week we'd gotten to know them pretty well!

At the end of Day 3 (our last rehearsal day), we found the perfect opportunity to perform a programme for an audience before heading out on tour. Underneath the Church we'd been using for rehearsals there was a refugee centre, and they were keen for us to go down and share some music there. It was at this point that we discovered how SOL would work in practise. The idea of the orchestra is that we are able to perform ANYWHERE.. and at limited notice, which means carrying as little equipment as possible. The orchestra therefore stands up to perform, apart from us cellos, basses and percussion, so we would sit on boxes which also doubled-up as containers for stands and music. We also had some tech equipment, allowing us to have a microphone for our wonderful singer and for introductions etc. So, as an orchestral team we would carry, set-up and pack-down all of our equipment before, after, and in-between all of our gigs. It was really valuable therefore to have the opportunity to practise this slick operation at the first concert in the refugee centre.

As soon as we began playing in the tiny, cramped space beneath the Church, I felt an incredible excitement for the week ahead, and it really dawned on me just why SOL exists. From the very beginning of the Carmen Overture, a lovely lady in the audience began beaming and dancing in her chair, and did not stop until the music did! This same lady stepped up to conduct the orchestra in a fun rendition of the Wallace and Grommit theme tune, and the look of pure joy on her face was just the best thing. It was a wonderful feeling to be part of a group of musicians who were there purely to share their love of music with anyone who wanted to listen/dance/sing/just be present. Later that evening the weather was sunny and dry, so we popped outside the Church to try out one of our Guerrilla (flashmob style) performances. We began playing to an audience of about 3 people, which very quickly turned into a sizeable gathering of school children, parents, city workers, passers by and even local residents on their balconies/hanging out of their windows. It was a truly exciting taster of the 4 days that followed...

Leavin' on a jet plane

I can't really believe it's time to fly back to reality!
I’m sat in Calgary airport after an epic 1hour check-in experience... moral of the tale: always expect plenty of fun, games, and confused complexions when travelling with cello!

The last few days in Banff have been just as wonderful as all of the others! There was definitely no shortage of gigs, with a bumper set at The Club on Thursday and another super fun jam with Justine last night back in The Bear's Den Inn.

Back to Thursday… (cue blurred vision and wibbly-wobbly harp glissandi)

Kind of spontaneously (the theme of the residency for me perhaps!?), I ended up playing my cello with three different singer/songwriters in the last Club session of the residency, which made for an intense (for the adaptive ability of my ears!) but really fun evening. Nancy and I had already rehearsed about 4 of her songs, which are really individual and full of personality - just like Nancy herself! We had a couple of ‘hut sessions’ on these, so I knew the songs fairly well and felt confident that I knew the chord changes and the vibe of each song etc. On Wednesday night, the two faculty members for this week, renowned singer/songwriters Sam Baker from Texas and Mary Gauthier from Nashville, asked if I would play for their sets at The Club too, so after having a quick listen to the tracks that night and having brief sound checks on Thurs afternoon, it was time to give it a go for real! Both Sam and Mary are incredible at telling very real stories through their songs, so they have the ability to capture the room and draw the audience in, which was pretty cool to witness. The show went really well, and the singer/songwriter sets were divided up by a beautiful, spellbinding performance from Alex, who played Christopher Cerrone’s Hoyt-Schermerhorn for piano and live electronics. If you don’t know it, check it out – really effective piece, which was played wonderfully by Alex. Back in the greenroom before the show began, Sam and Mary asked if I might like to play with them both at a festival in Glasgow, and perhaps a show or two in London – very exciting and I was flattered to be asked! After the Club show, we all retired to Maclab for drinkies and chats (and maybe a bowl of those sweet potato fries – impossible to resist and definitely one of your 5-a-day..?) I also have to mention Nancy’s side-splitting jokes, which proved to us all that a couple of hours of consistent laughter makes you feel FABULOUS! Thanks Nancy!


Weirdly, I’m finishing this blog entry in one of Manchester’s many Café Neros after a night of serious sleeping in London and more cello carrying and sitting still on public transport… I’m tired, disorientated, and kind of spaced out (!), but still incredibly energised by my adventure!
(More harp sounds…)

On Friday I had a yummy Maclab breakfast in the cracking company of Ernesto and Camilo - who seem to have adopted each other as father and son during the course of the residency! I also cleared out my hut, which felt like leaving home, and I then took a last amble down into Banff, where I explored a bit more and found further beautiful sitting spots to rival all of the other beautiful sitting spots I had already discovered! It was only a couple of days after I’d seen Bow River beginning to defrost, and now I could now hear it flowing fast and making impressive noises… so being a bit of a nature-lover and typical tourist, I took a video.
In the afternoon, Dory and Manuel gave us a really impressive recital of the contemporary vocal/piano works they had been preparing. Wow! Dory even did some epic body/mouth percussion, whilst Manuel found amazing sounds in/on the piano that I had never heard before (all during a 30-minute marathon of a piece written for them both by Lachenmann) – it was another memorable performance!

On Friday evening, Justine and I were able to reunite and we had another really fun jam at The Bear’s Den Inn in Banff! It was so lovely to play together again, and to work our way through some cool covers, as well as a few of Justine’s own beautiful songs. The people at the bar looked after us really well, with yummy food and a constant flow of wine! The two of us went back to Maclab afterwards for some celebratory drinks, as well as some not-so-celebratory goodbyes!

Saturday morning really was the end of the Banff adventure, with a final farewell breakfast for those of us left, and plenty of ‘last looks’ at the breathtaking views. It felt very difficult to say goodbye to the wonderful people who have now become real friends – I would happily spend another 3 weeks/months with them all/I’m hoping we’re all just going gather in Banff at the same time every year… please!?

I simply can’t finish this entry without mentioning Jeff’s bouncy chair. Jeff was the lovely driver of my shuttle bus to Calgary airport on Saturday, and he was very much enjoying the springiest truck driver’s chair I’ve ever seen – perhaps I was over-emotional/tired/not quite functioning properly, but I it was very funny to see his happy face bobbing up and down in the mirror every time we hit a dip in the road (I was alarmingly tempted to video this, but thought better of it/couldn’t achieve it with enough subtlety)!

As well as leaving me with some really special memories of wonderful experiences, new friendships and collaborations, my residency has taught me a lot and has given me a great deal to think about, explore and perhaps change… in terms of music, performance, composition, cello-playing, life, different attitudes and approaches to all of these things, my own ambitions, the significance of place etc, my new-found yoga hobby, a healthy respect for the Canadian cougar (the animal variety!)… I could go on!

If you’ve read this and you are even slightly tempted to spend some time at the Banff Centre – I’d 100% say: “take the plunge and do it!”
P x

Fond Farewells and Wrong Note Night

Today I'm blogging from the Banff branch of Starbucks... a bit like visiting an old friend! When Ella and I embarked on our American backpacking adventure a few years ago, we could always rely on the free wifi in the Starbucks that would inevitably sit in the heart of every town... sad but true! On the walk down to town (down to downtown!) today I discovered a breathtaking viewpoint from a bridge (will try to convey the gorgeousness in pictures later..!) just before town where, as well as the snow-topped mountains, I could see the frozen Bow River beginning to defrost and come back to life.  It sounds amazing! The weather here has apparently been strangely warm this month, so much of the snow is disappearing now... and I have several pairs of unworn thermals, which is a sure sign that we have yet to experience below about -7 ish (TMI?)

On Sunday morning it was time for more farewells, but also an excuse for a leisurely breakfast in Maclab (my first pancakes of this visit... too good!) The sun was absolutely stunning on this morning, which looked incredible over the mountains surrounding the centre. I also spent some productive hours in my hut on Sunday, and finished recording and mastering a track - my first track using the PROPER equipment..! Phew! In the afternoon, I found my most favourite sitting spot yet, which boasts pretty much panoramic mountain views and absolute silence (almost!), which is quite something!

A little aside - I have just heard someone order an "extra hot flat white" - ouch! (and why!?) On the plus side, there is some seriously smooth jazz wafting through these speakers...

At dinner on Sunday, I met the Swedish cellist who played in a beautiful performance called "Re-inventing Bach", in which he played excerpts of the cello suites, whilst an incredible Canadian dancer performed alongside him - I don't think I wrote about it when it happened, but it was really different, creative and emotive. It was interesting to chat to him - also it turns out he is another cellist who has spent time studying at RNCM! He then came along and played with a few of us at Kate's Baroque Party! This was a lovely, informal few hours of reading through all sorts of music in Katelyn's studio.. but, to my relief, as soon as things began to turn a little more serious, we all decided it would be better to go for a drink or two! Phew! ('phew' count = 2)

Monday was our last Roundtable in Bentley... it was really sad to be sitting in a drastically smaller circle than in previous weeks! We had to remove chairs :( There are no new musicians in residence this week, but there are two new faculty members, who are both singer/songwriters from America. There are fewer performances and general events happening this week, which has worked out fairly well for me, as it is meaning many more hours of hut time to work on some music. But I'm realising even more how much I was enjoying seeing and hearing everyone else's projects, and how much this was keeping me motivated and extra-inspired. After the roundtable meeting, I visited Nancy's hut for some collaboration on a few of her songs, which are super cool and full of personality! We're performing these in The Club on Thursday night. I then returned to my new favourite place - the yoga studio - for some much needed stretching. Something I hadn't quite envisioned was the shocking announcement: "Today we will work on our headstands".. oh! Needless to say, my headstand consisted of resting my head on the mat and imagining with the best of my imaginative powers the next part, i.e. legs in the air... I probably looked like I was having a bit of a meltdown.. in fact it was quite relaxing! Pretend headstands aside, the class was great, and with no Justin Bieber interruptions and just Bon Iver on the speakers, it was very therapeutic. I then began a new track in the afternoon, which I have been working on today as well.

Yesterday evening, Manuel and Dory hosted 'Wrong Note Night', which was the biggest hoot. Actually quite literally, as we ended up singing Bach Chorales and Monteverdi madrigals! I whacked out my beefiest tenor notes, and four of us girls even considered marketing ourselves as "The Madri-gals"... yeah! The pianists did some really lovely Mozart, and Cathy and Dory joined for Shepherd on the Rock, which was simply too good for wrong note night! Ernesto even showed off his best nose-recorder playing... impressive stuff, and we tried a recorder/cello duo. We were jamming until the early hours, so this morning was a slow start, but after a morning Earl Grey and Lavender tea and chats with Alex, order was soon restored..!

Here are some pics to keep you in the loop.
Hope everyone's having a flipping fantastic (punny) pancake evening back home!

P x

Road Trippin'

Having a mellow Jono McCleery kind of morning in my hut today, nursing my sore feet after some serious shape-throwing at D.J. A. Ball's killer dance party last night... so many funky favourites I forgot I knew!

On Thursday I ventured outside of the Banff bubble to play a set with Justine at a very cool venue in Calgary (about 2 hours away) called the Ironwood. It felt strange to drive back on the same route to Calgary airport that I travelled a couple of weeks ago to arrive at the Centre for the first time! Amazing to see the drive in the daylight though - some incredible mountain views, towering trees and frozen rivers, all complimented by regular housekeeping announcements and time updates every ten minutes of so from a very friendly shuttle driver..! After meeting Justine at the airport, we travelled to the Ironwood, which is one of the best live music venues in Calgary! It was quite a large pub/bar with wooden floors, a nice stage, and pictures of some familiar musical faces on the walls. It had a really cool vibe about it, so it was exciting to be performing there. We were supporting the band Joe Nolan and The Dogs, who have formed relatively recently, but sound like they've been playing together since birth..! They were really tight and had written some awesome songs, and were also very down-to-earth, friendly guys. After some sound checking and a tasty salad (a token attempt to reverse the Banff buffet body...), Justine and I were on! We played about 8 songs - all Justine's own writing, apart from a cover of MJ's I Want You Back (got that bass line!) - and had a lot of fun... definitely fresh for me, and another test for my ever-adapting ears! It was then really great to be able to sit back with a drink and enjoy the band's set, and with the venue filling up, the atmosphere was super happy.

After the show, I ended up chatting to some of Justine's friends/fellow Calgary musicians and other friendly punters. Among others, I met a lady who has a passion for dance, an established country singer/writer and an army bassist! I'm still loving how easy it is to strike up really cool conversations with complete strangers here in Canada - which is something that seems so much more alien/challenging back in the UK. Everyone is very open, generous... and fun!
It was time to make the drive back on the highway to Banff, which included a delicious donut initiation for me (thank you Justine!) and some cracking convos.

Friday - another day in Banff, another gig! It was the last Rolston concert, so I spent some of the day sound checking for Paul's wicked jazz pieces and the group piece (Piece of Sky), and the rest of the day in my hut. As of Friday morning, I have finally figured out what I'm doing in terms of my solo project..! I'm now using an audio interface and my DPA microphone to record much better sound-quality tracks. So for the remainder of my time here I'm hoping to re-record some of my previously written music, and record the new tracks that I've written whilst in Banff. I have learnt such a lot about the tech I'm using and that I need/want to use in the future - which is fab! I also now know what I need to do to get these tracks to a live-performance stage, which I can practise at home and begin gigging! The Rolston concert was a hefty programme of largely contemporary music - it was interesting to hear lots of music I'd never come across before. There was a fabulous piece written by a Venezuelan composer for a voice/piano duo here, called Franz Liszt, and it used just the letters/sounds of that name in the vocal writing!

Sadly there are quite a few people coming to the end of their residencies and leaving this weekend, which seems so soon and just as we're all really getting to know one another... but I reckon a few of us will bump into each other somewhere down the line, as is often the way with musicians!? I feel like I want to collaborate with everyone all over again and that there's so much more to learn from the guys here! I'm really grateful to have one more week in which I hope to write/record some cello tracks that I'll be happy to take home!

Today, as well as catching up on some zzzzzs, I'm looking forward to seeing the Flute/Harp duo's recital, and then getting my Baroque bass lines on with Kate and Ernesto as part of his showing this evening! "Variety really is the spice of life" - learning that fast!

Happy Weekend!
P x

(Pics to follow, don't panic Dad!)

Banana & Blueberry Bagels etc

^^ That tastes as good as it feels to say!

Monday Roundtable came round scarily quickly, marking 1 week of my residency here! There have been a few people leave over the weekend, as well as a few new musicians joining the jam, so it was super cool to hear about their projects and to hear how others are getting on. I spent some time working on the new tracks I've been writing/recording before having a really interesting chat/lesson with the new visiting artist, cellist Simon Fryer. It was great to pick his brains on starting out as a freelancer after college, as well as how to keep the cellist in me in good shape..! As a result of this, I am now on day 2 of a very satisfying cello 'exercise regime', which takes about an hour and tackles one key a day - I can already tell it's going to become kind of addictive! I'm very grateful for this pointer though, as I have been feeling a mild panic about losing the cello muscles/skills/abilities that I've spent a long time building up, now that I'm not immersed in the music college bubble/having lessons etc.

Later that afternoon, we had a small workshop, exploring a work called "A Piece of Sky", which can work for any size ensemble and combination of instruments/voices... and it's formed of about 8 different musical cells, each of the same duration. On our second try, I thought it sounded very effective - and we'll maybe perform this in Friday's Rolston concert.
On Monday evening, it was our chance to hear Artemis' research on Nationalism/the origins of Greek Music and many other super interesting aspects of the chapter she is writing - it was again really cool for us all to hear what each other have been working on. Monday night also heard an exchange of 'bedtime stories' in room 2413, in which Alex and I exchanged accents whilst reading whatever we could find - we're nearly there with a convincing Parent Trap-style swap..!

Tuesday was a quieter day, as there wasn't much scheduled in the music department, which meant some quality hut time. I also skipped back into the lunchtime yoga studio for a 'third time lucky' attempt at my new favourite/most painful sport! There was yet another instructor this time, but she was also really good - although I'm not sure I can forgive the playing of Justin Bieber on the speakers during a particularly peaceful pose of a child (she did apologise to us all for the rude interruption!) The instructor this time seemed to enjoy prodding me at the hips whilst I balanced precariously on one leg, which almost saw my new-found yoga career come crashing down - literally! I came away feeling amazing again, and with a renewed focus for the afternoon (and jelly-legs!).

I decided to amble down into Banff for a couple of hours in the afternoon, which also meant my first face-hurty (technical term) experience of the cold here - and it's apparently still quite mild for the Winter in Banff, but I can feel it getting colder. I also did my best Bambi on ice impression on the way down, but luckily I think only the squirrels witnessed this embarrassment... I had a mooch around some of the shops and a good explore in the supermarket (I think other countries' food shops are too interesting! Dad - you'd love it!). Once back on campus, I had some more hut time, some yummy dins (I'm still finding the naughty desserts a novelty!), before this week's Bentley Circle. Just before it started, I had a good chat with one of the new musicians, a singer/songwriter called Nancy and the next thing we knew, we were playing one of her songs together for everyone - another good aural test for me! I think we'll do some more collaborating next week. I also played in Paul's jazz composition, and listened to all the other really varied and wonderful offerings. There was a beautiful flute/harp duo playing Debussy, some sparkly Scarlatti on piano, as well as awesome Bach fugues and a South American influenced piano work - so much variety!! It was definitely time for some chats/wine in Maclab before bed.

Today's another fairly independent day - so a chance to sit at the piano and get creative...
P x

Heavenly Hikes, Jammy Jamming and Groovy Moving

I can't believe it's the end of my first week here already! There's been so much learning, music-making, and FUN packed into 7 days, so time has flown by!

Friday was a day for collaboration, but also a chance to think about my own project and how to move forward with it. I went back to Emily's hut in the morning to lay down some cello lines on her newest song and then had some valuable advice from Tilman about the tech I'm using, with some really cool listening recommendations for inspiration and for insight on set-up - loads to think about and really exciting to feel that I can spend some quality time actually figuring out the best way to use my pedal, enhance my sounds and create much better quality tracks and recordings. There is still a lot for me to experiment with and discover in terms of this, so I'm really looking forward to playing around with both my existing music, as well as the new tunes I'm writing. Also, I am gradually working on the live aspect of my looping, which will take lots of practise - good job I've got a couple more weeks in my homely hut!

Lunchtime saw my brave return to the yoga studio, but I'm so glad I went! This time there was a different instructor, who seemed cool with us novices almost falling over and potentially causing serious disruption to the class..! This second time was already a lot easier and therefore more enjoyable. There was way more focus on breathing - which definitely helped when it came to balancing on your big toe whilst juggling yoga blocks and chanting the alphabet backwards.. (At least that's what it felt like to me at times!) I feel like yoga has to be a regular occurrence in my life now - the feeling afterwards is pretty wonderful!

To continue the yoga theme, I visited Amy's hut in the afternoon. Amy writes, records and produces seriously cool music intended for yoga practise. As well as recording a few cello lines for a couple of her tracks, I was given an insight into Ableton Live and how it works, which really appeals to me.. thinking of switching! Friday evening saw a concert in Rolston, which is the more formal concert hall venue here. We were treated to some gorgeous, virtuosic and exciting music by several of the musicians in residence, as well as the visiting faculty, pianist Ronan O'Hora. It was another inspiring concert - so much to enjoy and to learn from. After a bit more hut time, is was time to throw some shapes at a party in The Club. There were plenty of mean movers, despite a slightly questionable DJ - but it was fun to relax with everyone and bring out the shopping trolley/sprinkler/lawn mower classics...

Saturday morning was spent hiking up our nearest mountain - Tunnel Mountain. Alex, Amao and I decided to set off fairly early, all kitted out in boots, hats, coats... and ready for some insane views! The hike was quite challenging, as it was our first one, and exercise just leaves you that little bit more out-of-breath up here! (Or perhaps that's the effect of all those lush breakfasts and naughty desserts...)
The views became more and more spectacular as we ascended the mountain, and when we reached the top we could see not only down over the whole town of Banff, but also down the other side, where we could see frozen rivers and more incredible mountains. (Pictures to follow OF COURSE!) We were even greeted by a couple of sunken, red wooden chairs right at the summit - the perfect spot for a picnic!? Perhaps a little chilly in January...
We were all VERY ready for a hefty lunch when we arrived back at the centre... no skimping on dessert today!

In the afternoon I nipped into a performance workshop to play a song with Justine, spent some more time experimenting with Garageband in my hut, and rehearsed for a new ensemble jazz piece written by the groovy saxophonist and composer, Paul. I then had some time in a bigger space to figure out how I would work my positioning and tech for some live looping, which was really useful. My Saturday evening was spent spontaneously jamming in a bar down in Banff, called The Bear's Den (I think!) with Justine! It was a lot of fun - Justine played an awesome array of cover songs, mixed in with a few of her own, whilst I jammed along. We played 3 sets, and on the third Paul whipped out his sax and we all had a jammy jam - great fun, lovely atmosphere and good ear training for me..!

Today (Sunday) has meant another gig, this time in a nice art gallery in the town of Banff. It was a lunchtime concert in a lovely room full of photography. A handful of us played some solos, (I chose Julie-O), with a great variety of styles and instruments... and we finished with some collaboration. There was a great turn-out and the audience were all very friendly! Really great to get out and share our music in the community. It's definitely now time for some concentrated hut happenings for me :)

Cheers! P x

Headphones in The Hut and Cello in The Club - Part 2

Tuesday night was also my first experience of Bentley Circle, which is a chance for any of us musicians to share what we've been working on in an informal way. It was super cool to hear and see what others are doing. As we're all on independent residencies, it's really refreshing to have the chance to get out of the hut and be inspired by each other. There were really too many wicked ideas for me to share them all, but I particularly enjoyed a performance of recorder and looper/electronics - and this piece used the letters in Cage's name in a clever way. It was amazing to hear the different effects he found, but also the way that he maintained the acoustic qualities of the recorder. We also heard some Bach played on the bassoon, which I was totally into!
Bentley circle was rounded off nicely (all the puns) with a couple of Canadian beers at Maclab (the bar on campus) and good chat.

Wednesday morning saw a stint at the piano in my hut, when I discovered a groovy chord progression - satisfying! I also did some more collaboration with another singer/songwriter called Emily, who plays piano and sings - with quite a Regina Spektor vibe about her songs and sound. We jammed through a song and then another with Nich on drums. It was then time for sound checks at The Club, where I was playing with Emily and with Justine for a few of their songs. The Club is a casual, hip venue with a kind of underground feel to it, here at the Centre. We spent some time going over things, and even adding in a last minute addition in Justine's set - a cover of The Bee Gees' 'You Don't Know What It's Like'... definitely enjoyed some beefy bass lines! After some dins, it was time for the show, which had a great vibe about it - quite relaxed, but the audience were really appreciative and friendly. For me it was a fab experience to do some real improv in a live setting - and it was so nice to play with the girls here. Naturally, we all went for some celebratory drinks afterwards... it's only polite! Really great night.

Thursday (today for me!) has been another fairly busy one. We had a really cool listening session this morning in a room with a ridiculously beautiful view, and a pair of enormous speakers. It was a chance for people to play music they've been enjoying or that they wanted others to hear and share. There were some interesting discussions about the way people record classical musicians; the way they're mic'd and how this can completely change a composition; about the pros/cons of hearing every detail of the way an instrument is being played... and lots of other things, all really interesting and thought provoking. I enjoyed hearing a track by a guy called Connan Mockasin - check him out and have a listen! We listened to Faking Jazz Together.

A few of us also had an amble down into the town of Banff this afternoon, which was really beautiful. It felt so familiar from being here 5 or so years ago, but also completely different, as the houses and mountains are all snow-covered this time around! There's a fair bit to explore down there, so I'll definitely be going back to have a wander at some point.

Today I have been only a few feet away from deer! They seem to like it here around our huts.. perhaps they were grooving out to the riffs I had going on this avo! It's amazing to be so close to them... I've also heard some really unique bird sounds - will try and discover what they are!

One more, VERY IMPORTANT thing - Earl Grey and Lavender tea is a beautiful thing - if you can find some in the UK, try it!

P x

Headphones in The Hut and Cello in The Club... Part 1

It really is only day four of my Canadian adventure, yet I feel more settled than ever here in Banff!

There is nothing quite like starting your day with a hearty breakfast, bottomless cups of Canadian coffee, and watching the sunrise over the Rocky Mountains... I still have to pinch myself to be sure it's real! Tuesday provided a good chance to settle into my hut, which is now covered in leads, headphones, cables, and scraps of paper with weird and whacky thoughts and ideas on them... I'm definitely starting to find my working rhythm, if you'll pardon the pun!

On Tuesday I also decided to embrace the full Banff Centre experience by attending my first ever yoga class. Those of you that know my good friend Barbara (DVD yoga goddess, bendy lady, all round legend) will be able to imagine that, up until Tuesday, my experience of yoga had been very gentle, not too taxing, with ample opportunity to take an easier option if necessary... so I was in for a shock when I rocked up at Flow Yoga at 12pm! The class was really well attended, mostly by people that work here I think, and by very stretchy people that know their pose of a child from their pose of a swan..! Needless to say, I spent most of the hour straining my neck, trying to make out which arm should be holding which ankle whilst balancing on which leg and looking in which direction!? The part of the session I feel I achieved very well was the lying on the floor at the end - I think I've got that down! Joking aside, my body felt amazing afterwards, and I felt so grounded and energised when I then played my cello. I am looking forward to going back again, but have had to wait a few days, as I am walking a little like I've lost my horse..!

The big news is that I have been a part of a couple of singer/songwriter collaborations. On Tuesday, I recorded some cello lines for Justine, which was a great experience. I always find recording to be such a different discipline.. and really challenging - but it was great fun! After that, Justine and I had a fab jam in her hut, and we spontaneously decided to make a YouTube video, which meant hamming up the hut with mood lamps etc! Great fun!

Other news on Tuesday was that we all received an email warning us to stay away Tunnel Mountain, which is very close to campus. We were told there was a "cougar on a carcass" and that there would be a $25,000 fine for going there...! We weren't too sure which part of that message was the scariest part! Apparently cougars will eat humans... enough said!

I also learnt on Tuesday that if you say "cellotape" in Canada, you may be greeted with a blank stare... it's "Scotch tape" (which makes a lot of sense actually)... just a little titbit for y'all!

Pics and part 2 to follow later..............

P x

Day 1 - Breakfast buffets, sharing circles and new names!

Today has been all about meeting my fellow musicians, getting my bearings and setting up my studio for the next three weeks - music hut number 6! (Pics to follow...) After a beautiful buffet breakfast in an aptly named Vistas dining hall, the day was sure to be a winner! The Banff Centre is literally framed by snowy mountains and today the sky was blue to perfection. But by far the best part of the first day here has been meeting all of the other musicians and artists. We began with a Monday Roundtable meeting, where we moved round the circle, each introducing ourselves and our projects. Not only is everyone incredibly friendly and each pursuing such interesting projects, they all seem so open and willing to collaborate, talk about their ideas and try new things...

I already have a couple of collaborations in the pipeline - one with a Canadian singer/songwriter and the other with some fellow keen improvisers on recorders, oud, voice and loop pedals! I can't wait to see/hear the resulting sounds!

We each have our own music hut, which is our ow space in which to create/play/be, so I spent a few hours setting things up and getting Mr Cello accustomed to his new surroundings and climate - and he is so far, so good... touch wood!?

We finished up this evening with an incredibly inspiring informal performance by a fantastic pianist/composer/sound artist called Jess. Her set was full of amazing new sounds from the piano, which was wired up, amplified and looped, and her work was also really witty and bursting with personality, with one piece sampling spam emails! So creative, and the atmosphere was so supportive too - such a productive, positive environment to be in!

Here are a few pics to wet your appetite...

P x

"Next time, bring your flute" - From Bright Close to Banff in 20 hours!

The day began with a sleepy 7am start in Saxmundham and a smooth 2.5 hour car journey to Heathrow, accompanied by Mum, Grandma and, of course, Billy Joel! Checking-in with cello in tow is always likely to present some sort of challenge... but really that was a breeze, compared to the challenge faced by 3 generations of Virrs/Wheelers trying to navigate our way through a maze of elastic airport barriers..! Oh dear! So once we'd found our way to the actual check-in desk, it was just a case of finding a name for my cello companion on the Air Canada computer system. So, may I introduce to you all Mr CBBG ZZ... catchy.

After some farewell tea and crumpets, big hugs causing a sudden, brief onset of hay fever (honest!), we headed through security. If I hadn't yet fully woken up, I certainly did when the security guard, upon seeing my cello on the hand luggage belt, exclaimed "Oh I'll just shove it in... It might fit!" Thankfully it did, so after an 'anxious-apple' and a wonder through departures (there's even a Harrods... oh, I say!), it was time to board.

Cue next heart-in-mouth moment when lovely lady at gate said, "We're going to have to take that cello off you and get our maintenance men to put it on the aircraft." I began conjuring up images of Mr Cello sitting on the wrong plane and ending up on a hot beach in Hawaii, or perhaps an eager runway attendant whipping out the cello for a little play before boarding... Anyway, perhaps the lovely lady sensed my slight trepidation at the thought of being parted from my companion, as she took me to meet maintenance man and all round chirpy chappy Andy, who took cello and I onto the plane! Andy greeted me by shouting, "Now THAT'S not a guitar!" Too right! After ripping out half of the seat, adjusting heights, armrests and headrests etc, and strapping the cello in with a big blue web of buckles and straps (no trouble at all!), Andy's job was done, so he wished me a pleasant trip, with the parting words: "Next time, bring your flute." Classic.

Meanwhile, I had been getting to know one of the flight attendants, a cheery lady who welcomed me onto the plane with: "Well I know who's going to be playing for her supper today!" Cheery lady was so very friendly, and she even made me an early cup of coffee "with cream", and we spoke about the town of Banff. After sharing with me her take on the beauty of the mountains in Banff and recommending nice things to do, she said "There are lots of cute guys there too!" (Complete with cheeky wink) And then, an absolute gem: "But I must tell you, Banff has the highest rate of STDs in the whole of Alberta!" Slightly shocked, I (very Britishly) thanked her for the heads-up, whilst she wondered off, calling out "A part of me is always a Mom!"
Easily amused, this episode tickled me for a decent hour out of the 9.5 hour flight!

The friendly human encounters didn't end there, as one of the first people I met after passing through Canadian customs was Duane. At Calgary airport, there were numerous volunteer helpers, all dressed in red and cream, with very cool cowboy hats on... fabulous! Duane saw me looking a little lost and offered to give me a hand - what a lovely chap. We got to know each other rather well - he used to play the trombone, but that was nearly 40 years ago.. and he worked at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Canmore... and he broke both of his shoulders and his knee whilst skiing. He had all the stories to tell. Duane very kindly showed me to my shuttle bus - which, unlike the rather swish pictures on the website, only housed a small handful of people... one of which was a man from Quebec. I wish I'd known he was French before I had tried my most O.T.T "Ah, Oui!" when he asked "Is that a violoncelle?" Awks!

The journey out of Calgary and into the Rockies was just amazing. It is quite hard to describe the overwhelming beauty of the proud, majestic mountains - especially as the light faded. I have arrived at The Banff Centre in complete darkness, but I can already tell that our surroundings are breathtaking! I think that waking up tomorrow morning will be unlike anything Mr Cello and I have ever experienced... for now there's just time for a quick read of the Security and Safety manual before bed, which has a double-page spread about the local wildlife: Bears, Coyotes, Elk, Deer... I'd better learn how to climb trees!

P x