PrettyInScarlett

With all the excitement about moving, we will definitely miss this place! Arriving here still homesick for Ottawa, it was great moving into such a friendly area. I'll miss the music groups most definitely; whilst Durham Amateur Pianists isn't continuing in present form, Let's Play the Piano! Newcastle and the Gateshead Piano Workshop are still strong.  Farewell home grown apples   After the amazing Eliza Carthy back in August, it's been so hectic we've not made any concerts etc. I finally made it to Empty Shop the other week for their Cassette Store Day related music fair thing and some good beer. No cassettes purchased (many years since I last had a tape deck) but I did acquire The Caroline EP by local band Dennis . Warm, bouncy, feel-good songs with a brass twist, very nicely done. Also on Facebook . Back there just yesterday for Wax In The Attic , an all-day vinyl fair/event. My most notable 'why not?' purchase was Musique de film imaginé by...

Something of a trend towards piano groups/similar for amateurs seems to be going on at the moment (excellent! definitely a more is more scenario!), with features on blogs such as Practising the Piano and The Cross-Eyed Pianist . The forthcoming issue of Pianist Magazine, issue 79, will feature an article on piano groups, for which I contributed some material regarding both Ottawa Piano Group and Durham Amateur Pianists . More information on the forthcoming magazine can be found here .

Catching up on my blog feeds after the break, I came across an interesting article on Bachtrack by Frances Wilson about amateur pianism. As a fellow piano lover and piano group organiser, I thought it offered an excellent insight into the world of amateur pianists. Read it here .

Durham Amateur Pianists was featured on Radio 3 Breakfast as part of their incredibly useful  Musical Map last Thursday 18th October. The Musical Map has information on musical groups, events, festivals and more right across the UK.   My compatriots with Ottawa Piano Group held a meeting with a difference last Sunday at Southminster United Church, performing on a 1904 Heintzman grand piano. What a treat! The event was attended and recorded by CBC Radio 91.5 FM. Edited highlights and interviews from the performers aired on CBC Ottawa Morning on Tuesday 22nd October, which is available to listen again online . The clip provides an excellent profile of how piano groups for amateurs function.     

In the spirit of friendly comparison with Ottawa International Writers' Festival, last week M and I went to see a few events at this year's Durham Book Festival . The week started off with an excellent talk at the Gala Theatre on Tuesday 15th October by Dr Lucy Worsley on her new book  A Very British Murder . Humourous and informative, with extra information about her day job and some good questions and comments afterwards (I also found her website, which answered my question, where does Lucy get her coats!?)    Saturday 19th October saw us at Durham Town Hall for 2 events. Stuart Maconie delighted a full house with a  very witty talk about British social history through pop music, themed from but encompassing more than his latest tome, The People's Songs . The following event was entitled 'Discovering the North'. Filmmakers Michael Smith and Maxy Neil Bianco introduced 3 films from their series Another England , exploring the ideas of home an...