Chelsea Festival and beyond

Today is the opening day of the Chelsea Festival. Our little event, is next Saturday (24th) on the last night. Preparations are going on apace, we now have a running order and a finished programme (well, just about). We have one more rehearsal (on Wednesday) before the day.

Its only one Wednesday that I will properly get to hear my new piece Crossing with the organ part. As it is a passacaglia, the organ has a significant role to play.

But of course, even in the run up to a concert other things have to be planned for. London Concord Singers are currently planning their 40th anniversary concert (on November 18th at St. Giles Cripplegate) and so I have dusted down the final draft of the work I've written for the occasion and am tidying it up. In theory, I'm trying to make the awkward bits less awkward for the singers but somehow you always miss something. So that, when rehearsing a piece you realise how you could have made tricky corners rather less tricky. I suppose that's what you call experience and in theory we should get better at this as we get older!

I am also trying to finish my new mass (in A minor). I've got the Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus written out and the opening of the Agnus Dei but somehow got stuck. Too much admin going on in my brain I suspect.