Newsletter

Well this is the first attempt at creating a newsletter for the concert attenders and followers of my concerts, and interests in general.The feed back I received from the wonderful Sunbury and Shepperton Arts Association concert last Saturday 6th Feb 2010,was most helpful and very interesting indeed! Cello and Guitar is a surprise for many people. It works beautifully. A little about the two duos I have formed at present. The first more traditional one is cello and piano this is with mostly Hisayo Shimizu a wonderful pianist who is a graduate of Julliard School of Music New York.I must add that I have been fortuneate in my performing career in that I have always worked with such amazing pianists. Michael Dussek;Pamela Lidiard; Ann Martin;Kate Elmitt; Kathy Gilbert;Virginia Hanslip;Paul Turner;Gill Ford;Paul Comeau;Mark Fielding;Peter Fielding.Hisayo Shimizu;;Marlene Bowden and Stephen Rose. Whilst performing piano trios with Katharine Ellis (violin)whilst she was preparing her Doctorate at Oxford University our pianists both Oxford Doctoral students like Katharine were Nigel Scaife and Philip Shannon..... Absolutely wonderful..

The other duo which is also very very nice is with Guitar cello/guitar, with Rose Andresier. I love working with different sounds and I have enjoyed working with harp Jean Price(we performed a lot as a duo) Keziah Thomas and Danielle Perret, (both are harpists) and violin with Barbara Desimpelaere (very limited amount of music for this harp violin and cello combination.) It is surprising how many considerations there need to be made when working with different instruments with different timbres. Speaking of timbres. My cello has been restored/refurbished by an absolute whizz!! I am now advised to use particular strings. The lower two strings are Tungsten and the top two are of equal special quality. If you want to know I shall tell but for now I want you to consider Tungsten strings. Which are the G and the C. My cello is heaven to play, and it sounds wonderful according to the audiences who have heard it. It has been 'set-up' (bridge sound-post strings string height etc etc )several times for me in the history of my ownership. It is really such a pleasure to perform with the instrument as it has been set up and restored now, thanks to the very specialised work done. Events for your Diary :Interview On Feb 28th at 6pm. I am interviewed on Brooklands FM Radio. I can take music with me (music that I love to listen to ) or play my cello, it is my choice. In April (I shall confirm the date) Rose Andresier and I shall be interviewed together on Brooklands FM. We shall perform as well I SHALL CONFIRM THE DATE IN A FEW DAYS TIME.!!! WATCH THIS SPACE. The date is now confirmed and is The 11th April for myself and Rose Andresier to play and talk on Brooklands FM. DO LISTEN Both dates should be fun!!On the 28th Feb I've decided to play recorded music instead for my appearance.Some lovely cello music and perhaps a surprise I haven't decided yet. NB.The listening must be done on the internet!!! http://www.brooklandsfm.co.uk/ is the place. The interview will be uploaded in a day or so.The presenter will e-mail me with the info about it. Music Choices: Paul Tortelier's performance of the Haydn cello concerto in C major with the Wurttemberg Chamber Orchestra (considered by Rostropovich to be the best recording) The Beaux Arts Trio playing the last movement of Ravel's Piano Trio Janos Starker performing the Gigue from the Bach 6th Suite. I explained that I had performed the Haydn C major concerto for the Jacqueline du Pre Appeal Fund in Oxford.The Ravel Trio which pushes all three instruments to their extremes in technical demands,I have also performed many times. The Bach 6th Suite was one of the several major works that I studied with Jacqueline du Pre. UnfortuneatelyI am given to understand that when the programme is uploaded on to the net the music will be faded out once it has started I don't know whether it is because of Performing Rights matters. I sense that it might be the case. What a miracle these radio stations are!! When you find Brooklandsfm.co.uk go to 'Listen Again'.You will see the date of the broadcast Feb 28th interview with cellist Clare Deniz'.Click on that and away you go! It will be on the web, forever so brooklandsfm have told me!!! Up date of dates for your diary:I am performing unaccompanied Cello in Hornchurch on the 1st March in the library there. I've played a lot in libraries I shall be performing at the National Portrait Gallery on 2nd April Cello and piano beautiful Chopin and Schumann I believe it is a comemorative year. 20th May in the evening, I am appearing at the Du Maurier Literary Festival in Fowey Cornwall (cello and organ and cello and piano duo). I am appearing at Leonard Stanley Priory in Gloucestershire on the 4th July in the afternoon with Hisayo Shimizu my pianist a cello and piano duo, a Romantic programme I shall be performing a cello and guitar duo concert with Rose Andresier at Hebden Bridge Festival on 11th July (Calendar Girls) country.It is the last concert of the Festival and it takes place in the afternoon. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Another date for your diary: Guildford Summer Festival: 15th JULY at 1.pm GUILDHALL GUILDFORD The cello/guitar duo described as; "a revelation and a delight to the ear" To book tickets: The Guildford Tourist Office. I shall inform you on the day the tickets are released for sale, and the telephone number of the Tourist office. There are limited spaces so early booking is advised. Tickets will now be available from the Guildford Tourist Office to buy online!!Details to follow soon.!! DETAILS: ADVANCE SALES TICKETS TEL: 01483 444333 TICKET SALES ON LINE tic@guildford.gov.uk The Guildhall is really neat and very beautiful and will work brilliantly with our classical accoustic programme. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The idea that the cello seems or at least is thought of as elitist is a curious one. 'Posh' I believe was the expression used in the comment box. It really is no more 'posh' than any other instrument. However, I think that people believe that they need vast knowledge about 'classical' music before they begin to play, which of course is simply not so. You absorb more and more of the field you study, as you go on. Now, the matter of pushy parents making people /children play instruments, well you do see a lot of this all over the place, as well as getting children to play take part with tennis, football gymnastics, swimming, horseriding. However, I do not think that 'pushing' ever works. Encouragement, enthusiasm, interest from parents definitely, but pushing, NO! It always back fires not only because if the child does not want to do whatever it is that the parents have set their heart upon the child studying, it creates misery. But sometimes the child will excel at the field the parents have chosen and STILL hate it. How complicated is that?I am eternally thankful for all the music making I have made and shall make in future. I was never ever 'pushed' as a child. I did it because I wanted to do it. NB.Please note this newletter is for bulletins about my work and where I am at the present time with my work plans. Please note information about the http://www.brooklandsfm.co.uk/ interview as of Sunday 28th Feb just past I have placed info about it if you scroll back up. My HORNCHURCH concert had a very good response. The usual description of my playing is 'Beautiful' especially always the Bach.My feedback leaflets are going a storm. I really feel that I am hearing a genuine response to my performance and it is good for the newsletter publication. Had two excellent rehearsals this week. One with my guitar duo yesterday, and the other with my piano duo,today. Just a thought:Why is it that when people ask me where I am performing. When I tell them they inevitably exclaim, "That's a long way". I suppose,by their understanding it would quite acceptable for me to have a career performing, say, at my neighbours house perhaps, or maybe, in a house or concert hall just down the road.Please note:Part of the job spec, if you like, is, "have cello will travel".However, all saying that, it is nice to play somewhere not too far away from home from time to time. I think that the concert dates are clear on this newsletter. I don't think they require an extra separate blog. A very big THANKYOU to all of you who have responded to my FEED BACK leaflets to date. I think that they are such an excellent idea and I shall definitely continue to bring them to concerts. The information contained in the filled out form is tremendously helpful to me. Audience perception is very important and extremely interesting.I can get a gauge on my performance and also obtain good strong ideas about repertory which come from you, the audience. The excellent audience at the National Portrait Gallery 2nd April 2010,went well beyond capacity.Seating was all taken and there was standing room only both in front (behind the seated audience) and still more people standing and seated on floor both near my cello and in the salon adjacent but behind us, as we performed. Furthermore a dear lady did a wonderful drawing of me playing. We were further blessed with three page turners for the piano!!. One definite and two spares, who were dear friends of mine,who were coming to the concert anyway. Such kindness of people to agree to such a demand. Believe me I'd much rather perform than page turn any day. Don't forget to listen live to Brooklandsfm.co.uk on Sunday April 11th at 6pm for an hour. Both Rose Andresier and I shall be interviewed and we shall also play music.We are looking forward to it very much. If you were at the recital we gave for Sunbury and Shepperton Arts Association in February, it will be some of that music which people loved (according to the FEED BACK information)with some solos. ANOTHER EVENT DATE: 21st April commencing at 8pm VENUE: Fulham Library Exhibition Hall 598 Fulham Road SW6 5NX The Exhibition Hall is on the top floor of the library. The Event is a Book Launch naturally the book will be on sale there. with the title of: Anthology 11 (two) organised by: 'WOMEN'S INK' writers group. The event will comprise of readings, live music and light refreshments. ( myself Clare Deniz cellist and Rose Andresier guitar), and an exhibition of Art by local artists. It is perfectly allowed for people to just turn up and enjoy the evening.Some will have received invitations. However I have been assured that it will be perfectly possible to attend if you wish to hear me and the readings. we are not playing so very much, but it is always nice to contribute to the proceedings. Don't forget to follow and read me somewhere new too!! twitter @claredeniz Du Murier Festival:Yes the concert with cello/organ, cello/piano was so interesting. This is an understatement as I discovered later as a tweet from someone who attended the concert who found it amazing!However, things like Accoustic balances, positioning of instruments.Aural perceptions.Music and rehearsal time. A great deal to consider. Inspite of the 'newness' of every single aspect of the context of the music, but not all of the music itself there was some extraordinary results. The concert was terribly well received Twittered about even and we made a profit, competing if you like against a much more 'commercial' outfit appearing at the same time somewhere else in the vicinity. Our concert was meant to be, if you believe these things. During the Bach Suite I peformed, you could hear a pin drop, a totally different reception and atmosphere to the rest of the concert. The audience seemingly was enraptured.Thanks to all of you who were there. I am still receiving feed back from the concert and it only goes to prove that one has many inner feelings which through experience one learns to 'mask'; use constructively and so forth and then WOW what a lovely feeling one has to learn that many people have been greatly moved by ones playing. It is really an astounding feeling and responsibility. July 4th Were you watching tennis? We(Hisayo and I ) were playing in Leonard Stanley. Yes there were avid tennis fans who came to our concert, the venue is adorable really rural and pretty with the church St, Wilfred's Parish Church being in the middle of a semi circle of the prettiest grey -stoned, flower covered front walled cottages. Postcard pretty. We gave a shortened version of the full concert and enjoyed a delish cream tea.!We know from my feed back forms that many of the pieces were really enjoyed especially the works by de Falla and Chopin and we were truly appreciated as we walked to get our cream teas the audience made many lovely comments. As we were leaving to get changed for our journey back to the smoke' in Hisayo's case and the relative smoke in my case, a lady member of the audience reminisced about one of my teachers Derek Simpson now sadly passed away, who had taught on a course near by, some while back.It is nice to be reminded of the great work my teachers have done. This rural idyll was really cut off from hustle bustle and traffic. But they do have a bus service (probably not on Sundays though) Next was the momentous undertaking (or so I suspected it was going to be)to get to Hebden Bridge Yorkshire and back on the same day by public transport.I did it and Rose Andresier guitarist and I played the final concert of the Festival at 3pm.Rose chose to travel by car with her husband the day before. However for me,the journey was picturesque and the venue was absolutely beautiful.The concert went absolutely to plan with a packed house.The venue was a chapel which had one beautiful feature after another.The craftsmanship that went into some of these old industrialists chapels was breathtaking. The tiny little box pews that would hold maximum 3people each. The brass fittings to lock the pew. The marble front to the pulpit and the choir stalls which were high up behind the pulpit with brass stands for holding the hymn books.The alter rail had carved wood which entwined at each balustrad holding the rail. One could not be inspired by the surroundings, and the love and care that has gone into preserving this chapel and many others in Yorkshire, by the Trust (name unkown at this stage) I was informed which made it possible for lovers of these buildings to work on them to preserve them that they might be used more for the community and be appreciated. I was inspired, and all went well. I was complimented on my Bach (again) and I hope to play there again.I was home and in my house by 11.30pm. Very good and I was NOT TIRED.I took the artistic directors advice and travelled back via Manchester which saved a great deal of time.Travelling is nice, it really is. You can chat with interesting people or read and eat of course or simply snooze. Excellent!. I was really looking forward to the concert and the whole day was such a wonderful experience altogether. More news re Guildford Summer Festival to follow, watch this space! The venue was absolutely adorable.The Guildhall Guildford is so full of character.We had people wanting to enter after we had started but it was beholden for the staff at the door to send them back to the Tourist Office to buy their tickets. The weather was good to gently walk from the station to the venue. I was able to put a couple of extra flyers up at the venue. We had been greatly encouraged and guided by the overseeing organiser regarding all of the proceedures that needed to be carried out to publicise the concert (this is on top of the 18,ooo festival brochures that were posted around and about by the distributors (nothing to do with us but we were in the brochure)..... it is truly a bogglingly large number! I also knocked out an article for the local paper which was pretty extensive. Very nice feedback from the Guildford concert. There was also a mention beforehand in 'Surrey Life'We (cello and guitar duo)were listed as one of the ten things not to miss at the festival.Returning to the feedback, it took the form of an e-mailed ethnography, and the writer went into elaborate detail about the venue and described the paintings on the walls as well as our various activities surrounding the performance of music apart and of course the performance of the music.I found it extremely interesting to read.So much so that I wrote back to the ethnographer (informing him that his writing style was quite a well established form he did not realise that he was writing an ethnography).My experience of this came from my post graduate studies at Queens University Belfast where I was required to write an ethnography of any chosen musical event. I decided to attend a broadcast of a lunch time piano recital that took place at the beautiful Ulster Hall.The pianist performed 'Annees de Pelerinage' by Liszt. It is music which has a stream of classical references, and I was acutely aware and was noting every muscular movement of the pianist during performance, this included face and neck and feet of course, and interestingly,also his general deportment between each piece in the recital.A very difficult but interesting exercise. It is not an obvious or an easy choice to observe a recital of western music as if observing a ritual of a north american Indian group. The unaccompanied Bach that I performed later in July for the National Trust went extremely well according to the feed back from the custodians of the property. I can only presume that the patrons must have passed on their compliments which is so nice. I was seated not in a Gazebo (yes I have played in a Gazebo!!Nor was it beneath a wonderful rampant ancient wisteria on a pergola with oriental lights twinkling around me!! Lovely!!) It was in front of the property's own version of the magnificent Trevi fountain in Rome.(I'll check the spelling)So I was not enclosed but people came toward me as I played and it was the most extraordinary sensation, and very interesting too. Audiences are usually quite 'static' being seated of course. However these were smiling and moving up in waves and it took me a while to get used to this and I became increasingly more and more comfortable as the playing time continued. Please note:-I am the first comment writer on the BBC Blog. Yeah!!!. I have made a small contribution to the information about Beatrice Harrison one of my 'inspirational idols' as I have described her. If you go to the Blog you can read it. There is a very small 'typo' but it does not prevent the meaning or the general flow of my writing to be impeded so for now I have left it. I did type it in rather a hurry. When I have a little more time it might be worthwhile to go back and make a further comment and correct the sentence to my true satisfaction. St.Cuthberts Church Wells 6th September 2010: In a word. WOW! What a stunning building and a great accoustic. Fabulous audience, seriously! You could almost feel them breathing with every phrase. The whole atmosphere of Wells is steeped in beauty and a sublime majesty because as I was informed it is the smallest city in Great Britain, and the Cathedral is fabulous. Both St Cuthberts church and Wells Cathedral being a 'stones throw' from one another are somehow the guardians of all that is good there. I should have loved to have a look around the Wells Cathedral School of Music, but that might be for another visit. My/our concert was FULL of variety and that I believe is a great strength and it takes inner resources etc to play a succession of such contrasting pieces. The audience loved us and the vicar said to us and the audience in the 'thankyou' speech after the concert, that we were great and that we had started the festival off magnificently!!! It is really strange how ones own perceptions are always somehow detached from the real experience of the audience. We played well but we were oblivious as to the level of response that it was creating in the hearts and minds of the listeners. We wanted to reach them and really convey the music and were delighted to be told that we had. St.Cuthberts Festival in Wells was very lovely for a number of reasons. I was so happy to play in such a lovely building for starters. Secondly the programme choice was great for the venue and occasion. We were told this quite vorciferously and it matters so much for an audience to not be subjected to a programme lacking in imagination.We certainly ticked all of the boxes for them and were highly praised at the end of the concert, and subsequently later in phone calls and e-mail.My feedback leaflets went down a storm, and that was good too. I stayed with friends over night and I was thoroughly spoilt and that is always very nice as you know. Great to see them and spend time in their company. It is nice to combine work with social if they can be fitted together. In the same month on 19th September 2010 I performed the first concert at Clair Hall Classical Sundays concert series. A new concept and one that has taken a great deal of thought. The venue want this venture to succeed.Publicity is always a tricky subject as it can be costly and fortuneatly it is not for me to worry about. There are more concerts to follow. Do check the Clair Hall, Haywards Heath itinerary. Fairfield Hall concert,my third, went very well.The hall concert organisers were delighted and I hope to be performing there again. We paid for our page turner and I understand that this is sometimes the case. Theydon Bois:Hey, what a lovely music society. I loved playing there,the sound was great, with a nice new hall, and the audience were wonderful. PLUS FLOWERS, terrific. I hope to return there too.It is something that they would like too! (Always a good sign when the promoter arrives with refreshments and your absolute favourite biscuit is sitting there in splendour on the top of the other biscuits.! Of course I offered it and then ate it, naturally!) Stop Press: There is a photo of Rose and myself in the building I have been praising in Yorkshire where we performed at Hebden Bridge. It is both beautiful and amusing as we with our accoustic instruments.I must look into whether it is possible to up load this photo into the Blog for you to see! Watch this space!! Stop Press: Rose and I shall be intereviewed at Brooklands fm.co.uk Yeah!!! Remember we did some playing there and our playing is to be re recorded on the..... 28th November, Yes!! Super concert: I am really looking forward to at Hatchlands Park ,where three of Chopins pianos are kept and Elgar's piano, too and I understand one belonging to Her Majesty the Queen. The concert is to be cello and piano, naturally, with a wonderful pianist, Stephen Rose: Who I have worked with before. He teaches at Guildhall School of music and accompanies Cardiff Singer of the Year and also plays for Glyndbourne. I am pleased to have some specifications for this concert and it must be said that this year (2010) of Chopin and Schumann commemorations, the pianos at Hatchlands Park must have been Chopin'ed out !! So, breathe and think ...and so another programme was borne. I love music the idea of new programmes making them is so stimulating. Watch this space for news of my web site claredeniz.co.uk and also for further concerts that may be happening near you. I am awaiting to hear from a concert promoter regarding a specific concert in 2011. As the area in which the concert is to be held has had severe flooding I can appreciate that the people in that area have other things to contend with.He has said that the church is not flooded but the surrounding area has been flooded badly.He has been helping people. It puts me in mind of an occasion when I performed on the Welsh Marches Shrewsbury/Shropshire area and I received a telephone call from the promoter informing me that there had been flooding so bad that it was impossible to get to where they were,(unless I had an outboard motor vehicle, said as a joke but was truthfully depicting the extent of the flooding ) and would I mind postponing the concert for 5 months.This was absolutely fine by me and my accompanist Ann Martin. What transpired for the concert when it finally occurred was terrific. Chris Eldon Lee, the now BBC producer (he was something very big in radio in the area where the concert was to be held) and he contacted me on the telephone and a kind of three way radio conference and chat was held by Chris myself and Paul Ives a terrific cellist and a dear Royal Academy friend.We studied at the Royal Academy at the same time, he had been a pupil of Florence Hooton.He lives in the Welsh Marches and I believe he is still teaching at Shrewsbury School.It was such fun and whenever there was a break for a trailer of some sort Chris would encouragingly say .'You're fine, that's great etc.!' Naturally this was out of 'ear shot ' of the radio listeners.I expect he was saying similar things to Paul too. The visit was really good with a well thought out co-ordinated travel plan. This involved Ann leaning out of the train door at Wolverhampton for me to see where she was sitting, and getting on board there as I had travelled up via Oxford and Ann had travelled via London. I naturally returned home a different route via Birmingham but be that as it may.(Interestingly enough returning via Birmingham I was to wait for forty minutes for my connection but a train came in almost immediately. Not my scheduled time of travel but as it was going where I needed to go, I caught it. this train was so late I can't even bring myself to say. It had travelled from Edinburgh and it was two and a half hours late at the time it arrived in Birmingham.I got on and arrived at my destination at my desired time even though I was forty minutes ahead on a different train. No complaints. The train was going on to Poole and I dread to think what time it arrived there or even whether the journey still exists on The British Rail timetables.!) The best thing next to the joy of performing in the Shrewsbury area occured during our reheasal break in the afternoon whilst looking out of the window and seeing some one there in a Corracle stylishly manoevering in very choppy water.It could not have been planned better, just to see that, just by chance I suppose it was all in a days work for the chap in the boat, but it was special for us the visitors to witness. That is what I love about moving about the country and performing, even more so abroad except that 'glistening' hotels do not always give you the flavour of a place.Visiting venues and breathing the new air. and mentally gauging the sensations of a new building and a new audience is both demanding but at the same time really energising. I really love it. Hiya!Not gone away!!! Just want to let you know that the Website is now http://www.claredeniz.com/ Yes, it has been born. I have some tweeks to make such as additions of info and photo changes but there you are, take a peek and... Do make a comment in the comment box as they will automatically sent to my e-mail address so they are not there for all to see!! The photo of the venue in Yorkshire is on there see picture with Rose Andresier. I was 'posing' in fact as I wasn't sure when the photo would be taken. Brooklands.fm.co.uk the playing happened OH YES!! and it is my performance of Bach Prelude to Suite No 1 that you will hear on the first page of the website. Listen in do. Memorising music at present and preparing. Loved Christmas really did.....Was invited to friends for the day..... wonderful.Which means I have all my own Christmas food to eat TO~DAY!! YAY On Boxing Day I ate Salmon (to make a change) and now, practise.

Did I really stop at Christmas SO SORRY I should be keeping you up with all of the news. Well I have performed at Hatchlands Park perhaps I have mentioned it ,yes? Prior to that the trip to Fowey to prepare for the Du Maurier concert was a VERY WISE MOVE. Apart from the fact that I really love the rail trip to Cornwall it is gorgeous especially the part after Exeter. Love the Dawlish Warren bit and Saltash over the Brunel Albert Bridge SO wonderful. Any way the rehearsal in Fowey went well and the estuary was utterly beautiful as usual.When I returned to perform for the concerts, I stayed in Fowey for two nights and then spent two nights in Lostwithiel which apparently is the ancient capital of Cornwall. The concerts went exceptionally well and I was delighted with the Du Maurier concert which was FULL full meaning very full and an audience that thoroughly enjoyed the music and their enjoyment was palpable.I received some e-mails later from some of them to confirm this from both concerts in fact which is terrific really.

     I am now updating you all as to the latest playing that you will be interested to know about.I was invited back to the du Maurier Festival the following year and played in Lostwithiel this time. Once again to a full audience capacity. The flower festival had just taken place and therefore the church was utterly beautiful and full of flowers. The children of the town had put flowers in shoes along the pathway to the church door. It seemed reminiscent of a sort of scandinavian Christmas custom to do with shoes etc I played at Sterts Arts Centre the day before and then at Lostwithiel the following day, and I was accompanied by Fowey based pianist Marlene Bowden.

In the afternoon at Lostwithiel,I was rehearsing by myself for a while in the church having rehearsed with Marlene already.People were wandering about as there was an exquisite floral display in the church and an elderly man lost his footing and I just managed to snatch my cello out of the way as he fell heavily and would have fallen on top or through the instrument. It was strange that he chose to walk behind me and past me to my left whilst I was playing! Free to roam etc !!!
No harm done though I think that he was a bit shaken.
I should add that the concert was a great success. I had hoped for posters about the concert and fortuneatly eventually I received one sent by Marlene to me. 
 I was interested to learn that Lostwithiel was once the capital of Cornwall in days gone by.

     
  Thinking along the lines of unusual events in which to be appreciated and involved, I was delighted to be asked to perform at Hambledon Boat Yard   in the summer of that same year, alongside quite a number of other people who donated their time and art works for sale to raise money for a Junior Olympic rowers boat. The whole event was a great success and I acquired an enthusiastic pupil from the event.   

        I performed with Rose Andresier at Evesham Festival cello/guitar duos. The concert was a great success. We were located at Hampton Church which is just on the outskirts of Evesham. We had an excellent appreciative audience.I performed  unaccompanied again al fresco at Greys Court National Trust  once again and the weather was very good. I was seated by the mini Trevi fountain once again and people perambulated about.
      
       I gave  a cello/guitar duo concert at a delightful house in the woods the 'cabin in the woods' really near my home in which I was able at the end of the concert  to try out some of the arrangements of carols that I had made for cello and guitar.
Hatchlands Park with Stephen Rose was also sold out two and a half months before the concert date with a waiting list for tickets. Absolutely fabulous venue and a superb lunch afterwards. Some really beautiful photos were taken afterward in the venue. by Stephens wife and friends. The concert was highly appreciated and we felt so pleased to have played using one of Chopins pianos. The programme was one that I felt happy to have put together.The audience was transported judging by their stillness and eyes closed in repose through the concert. I was delighted to have such an ecstatic reponse to the first piece the Boellmann which delighted me as it was its first performance by me.The cello is still developing which is wonderful.

As I have stated I LOVE my train journeys so much and really relax when travelling and if I can get advance savings better still.
      Not only have I not been keeping the newsletter blog up to date for which I am truly sorry , but I have also had a brief period in which I have not tweeted as well!I intend to keep both continuous as well as the tips regarding playing. That is another blog to which I have not been attending. This will be dealt with .  

Was really happy to visit Evesham again and in particular the Festival this year with a greatly appreciated programme of cello/guitar duo music. We were told by the taxi driver whilst driving us to the venue that the Asparagus Festival was now over !! They also have a plum festival as well. We were a bit early in the year for that however. The concert was introduced by a Festival committee member and  the concert was a great success. We were located at Hampton Church which is just on the outskirts of Evesham. We had an excellent appreciative audience.

 Culottes at the Town Hall:
 We have just played at Cheltenham at the Town Hall. I have performed numerous times before at this venue and the audience is truly wonderful to play for. However I left a belt behind in the 'green room' which appears to have gone to the great wardrobe in the sky. Hey why should I worry I shall simply tie a sash on the waist of my culottes Yes I said culottes and I am not saying it for effect. They were great to wear and were given me by my sister and proved to be Very useful indeed. I believe I wore them in Amsterdam once for the concert there. The sash will be a sensation but more importantly I am still developing repertory and yes the cello is STILL developing. Read my tweets at twitter @claredeniz.
  
 If you may remember my sheer delight at being the FIRST comment maker on the BBC blog and I remarked about Beatrice Harrison. It then transpired that I was telephoned a year later.
     Early in  May 2012, by BBC 1 TV, THE ONE SHOW and to maker it more exciting still I was asked to play to nightingales 'a la mode de Harrison'.I cannot tell you just how absolutely amazing an experience it was. The programme which went out on air  on the 15th October 2012 was watched by zillions!!.I had told numbers of people friends as well as  music profession persons and they in turn told zillions!!Amusingly the programme was rescheduled a couple of times before it finally landed on the 15th October and it meant ringing round and letting people know etc etc on  loads of occasions. It was amusing. Then the programme was delightful quite magical, according to everyone who saw it. 
    You can see it by going to THE ONE SHOW website and clicking on the date the 15th October 2012,as the programmes are archived as far back as 2007.
   I did not go to Beatrice's House and wood in Oxted, as there was no guarantee that there would still be nightingales there ! A sad consequence of ecological changes and destruction of  suitable habitats. Instead, it was decided that we went to a nature reserve in Kent and was there with John Sargeant who was presenting the programme, and the nature reserve warden Rolf for the early evening with the film crew (after a delicious supper).
     write more re habitat and feed back and Tyntesfield  LOVED the concert at Tyntesfield . Oh how I love playing music in such amazing places. This large Victorian Gothic Mansion was built by an extremely successful business man so much so that he had his own railway stop. However the performance was given in an unconsecrated chapel as part of the house. I loved the atmosphere and the general lay out of the whole house was astounding. The original owners were so resourceful so much so, that the 'back' stairs 'servants staircase' was magnificent with panelling and 'barley sugar' balastrad rails. This beauty had been taken from the main staircase and not to waste it so to speak, had been installed for the servants.It is hard to believe that only about a hand-ful maybe four people lived in this massive house with the servants etc.
    We performed some of my arrangements of carols for cello and guitar and  I am SO proud of them.
    In 2013 I was on television again playing my cello with nightingales again, really. I cannot really believe it.It was a longer spot and I do speak more and it was generally absolutely fantastic. More details to follow. If you go to the blog 
  
                 Cello and the nightingales a la mode Beatrice Harrison 

 you will  see the link to the 2012 film and on my web site on the audio section the film of the second appearance for BBC South East.
  Concerts have been given in Kimbolton, Stowmarket, Chichester,  Wood ville Halls and  Fairfield Hall, 
    In the 'Cello and the Nightingale Blog' I also mention how promoters have loved the romance of the nightingale connection with the cello. At an adorable house St. Marys House Bramber  near Steyning, nightingale song was played in the interval. It was magical and beautiful.
   More information soon.  
In my Regeneration, regeneration, regeneration Blog (subtitle Unexpected item in bagging area!) seated in a foyer of a Supermarket. Hopefully changing peoples thoughts on 'classical music' the as part of the outreachand regeneration movement  in one of the London Boroughs.I was delighted  to have been asked to take part. It was fun and for me but also an interesting opportunity to test myself performing in an ever changing environment.Which of course is the opposite of a concert hall environment.
 See nice picture below I was advised to put photos in both blogs So here goes: