I received a call the other morning from Gabriel Prokofiev (a rising young composer and great grandson of Sergei Prokofiev himself), who runs NonClassical. This is a monthly classical /contemporary/experimental music event which takes place in The Macbeth Pub in Hoxton. He asks me if I can play that very night as someone has pulled out. ALthough I have to teach all day and have only about half an hour to prepare a programme, I agree to do it as it sounds like a cool venue and could be fun. It turns out the pianist - Genia - who recently released her book, "Piano Yoga" is also playing that night so I was very pleased to hear and meet her and she was also extrememly complimentary about my playing which was nice! I played Piazzolla, Monti, Schnittke (excerpt) and Bloch and it went down well so I look forward to returning there.

Then I get 2 calls from him in a week! Firstly, to perform at the Purcell Room as part of a publicity event for up and coming bands - it's basically a pop scene but he's somehow managed to get a classical set into it! I played some Schnittke and the audience seemed to like it - you just never know...then a few days later, he asks me to play at a rock festival in Oxfordshire called Truck Festival - can you believe!! I play at about 1am to a bunch of rock fans who've come to the tent we're performing in to see what's going on - classical artists at a rock festival?!!...again, goes down really well. It seems that, done in the right way, many people who you would never think it, really have an interest in classical music. Wow!

Kinesis now have concerts booked in London for the coming months leading up to the 2nd part of our recording so do check out the dates on the Concert Diary Page.


I am greatly looking forward to my pupil Felix Hale's performance of Prokofiev Violin Concerto at Westminster School with his school orchestra this friday (13th may). He's been working really hard and the fact he is at the level to play such a demanding work as this says a lot about his passion and commitment to playing, even though he will go tho Oxford to study History!

Well done to Yuto Yamahara (age 9) for winning the Grade 4-5 division of The North London Music Festival last week. He will perform Sicilienne by Paradis in the Prizewinners concert on May 25th.

Well done to Harry O'Keefe who came a close second (he was on 91 points, the winner on 92) at The Ealing Music Festival Recital Class last Saturday (May 2nd) and to Felix Hale who came 2nd in the Concerto Class.

Well done to Henry Bentley who won the Sonata Class at the North London Festival (11 May).

Congratulations to Felix Hale, who gave an excellent performance , from memory, of Prokofiev's Violin Concerto no.2 the other night (8 May). I am very proud of him. This is a hugely demanding work both technically and musically and for someone who doesn't even intend on becoming a professional musician this is quite an achievement at the age of 17. There are plenty of professsional violinists and graduates of music colleges who wouldn't dare to get up on stage and play this piece!

Over the past few months, my practise has been mainly replaced by editing the Ibuki Trio CD which we recorded in December 08. I have now finally completed it so once the others are also done, it will finally go off to our producer for the first edit!

Very pleased today: Harry O'Keefe and Thomas Aldren both won their divisions (Intermediate & Senior) of Junior Academy Violin Prize - not bad!