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The year in review » July 2006

I spent a week teaching at the Golspie – where some of my learner whistle students created the Buzzy-Bee Song. What a talented bunch! Another highlight had to be the World Cup semi-final match Italy V Germany. No stone was left unturned in the detailed commentary provided by myself, Maeve McInnes and our fellow tutors – a very funny night in the pub.

After that I headed off with Gordon to Vancouver. The quality of the airplane food was dubious!

[1, 2 July]  First off we were performing at a concert organised by my old friend Daniel Lapp as part of the Victoria Folk Festival….what a beautiful setting for an evening performance. We shared the stage with a host of musicians, include the B.C. fiddle orchestra, Daniel’s students, Irish and old-timey dancers, and other local session musicians. It was a great night.

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[3 July]  Those were the days! After all that excitement, we headed to the aptly-named Sunshine Coast, to teach at the Coast String Fiddle Camp. This was a truly great week, and the first time they had a guest flute and whistle tutor. The students were fantastic.

[4 July]  As well as putting up with lots of terrible jokes and learning and arranging lots of tunes, this class was very open-minded and we tried an experimental piece.

[5 July]  The evening concert on Friday was a real highlight, and it was a pleasure to meet and play with some new and special musicians: Oliver Schroer, Sharlene Wallace and Iain Lowthian from the borders.

[6 July]  Not long after a quick stop-off in Ireland for my friend Gillian’s hen-night, I visited Treviso in Italy with Tim Edey, Claire and Julian.

[7 July]  It was a Gordon Gunn and Nuala concert at a Celtic Festival there, but unfortunately Gordon had to bow out after he bashed his first finger on the left hand with a hammer – ouch! It swelled up to twice its normal size, and earned him the name ‘Gordonne ‘L’indice’ Pistola which is Gordon ‘The Finger’ Gunn in Italian. Get well soon dude!