Friday 8 February 2002

I've been rushed off my feet this week playing in the SCO with Thomas Zehetmair, who is much cheerier than last time, and his conducting's more fluid too. It's been a while since I played in an orchestra, so I've had to re-adjust to the disciplines, like having a pencil, not swearing when you play a wrong note, and ... arriving on time. I miscalculated the drive to Inverness and missed the first 10 minutes of rehearsal on Wednesday, egg on face, head hung in shame. And I only made it to last night's gig in St Andrews with about 3 minutes in hand. Today I got the train to Ayr, with an hour to spare, and Zehetmair and half the orchestra were late, driving from Edinburgh!

My other miscalculation was that the main difference between driving and taking the train is that when you're driving to gigs on your own, you can't really do much (write diary entries, answer email, think, plan ahead, file your nails, catch up on gossip) except listen to music. So I've listened to some great CDs, but there is a mountain of work waiting for me at home.

At lunch yesterday with John Butt, he mentioned a plan hatched by himself and John Wallace (now principal of the RSAMD) to form a baroque orchestra in Scotland. 'OK, count me in' I said. Watch this space for further details in due course.

And on Tuesday (on the train of course) I sketched out a transcription of 'Sofa', so before long I may get to be George Duke after all. As we walked on stage tonight, I asked Robert McFall "If I write an arrangement with two keyboard parts, can I come in and play it?" and he seemed keen, so Dukedom beckons.