Vivaldi in our Summer

A very happy New Year to all of you.

Isn't this just the best time of the year when plans and dreams are being made, and you are thinking that anything is possible in the next twelve months ahead. ?

My plans and dreams have all been about my violin lately. 2010 was very intense music making, with me having violin lessons each week with our concert leader and soloist John Thomson. So lots of practise for me each day and it has certainly been challenging fitting those extra hours in to a very busy work schedule. Yesterday I collected two CDs that were made taking the best out of our five concerts that our orchestra performed in 2010.

Wonderful evenings of magic created by a large group of our community who are like a second family to me now.

It has been so much fun. This year I miss our very first concert because it is the same day as our youngest daughter's wedding....26th March. But the silver lining in that particular cloud means that I will have more time to work on Sarah and Kevin's wedding quilt and a woven blanket that I should have finished for their engagement last year.

This last year I have been teaching piano and violin to Arlo and Keira ( Melissa and Tom's two children ). This has been a joy and a huge delight and privilege, and I am looking forward to their lessons starting again in February.

Next week I fly up to Auckland to take part in the Auckland String Quartet Summer School which I have been going to for over a decade now. A week of absolute bliss, combining music, friends, food, no housework or cooking and lots of laughter and playing a Vivaldi Concerto.

What more could I ask for in this first month of the year...I shall see you in this space when I return.

Here is some Vivaldi from my favourite performer to have you tapping your feet and dancing to Summer from Four Seasons.

I hope all your dreams and plans for 2011 come to fruition and health and happiness are yours to keep.