I’ve just rewritten three brief pieces ‘Trivia’ for two clarinets – Prelude, Tango and Ragtime – they date back to my youth but come up well I think in a slightly brittle way! Score available from me.

Great Sussex dialect words I’ve plundered for my new ‘Song of Three’ (I must be settling in):
Aggy dumbledore, beazled pug,
Plaguey shimeroys, slabby spud,
Tossicated lubbock, flittermouse farisees,
Chuckle-headed codger – Zackly.

[Aggy – peevish; Dumbledore – bumblebee; Beazled – weary; Plaguey – troublesome; Shimeroys – midges; Slabby – wet, slippery; Spud – for digging; Tossicated – drunk; Flittermouse – bat; Farisees – fairies; Chuckle-headed – daft; Codger – miser]

(… despite the date, this is not an April fool!)

The poet Edward Thomas was killed in action at Arras on 9 April 1917. He had lived in Steep near Petersfield so, on March 17th as part of the Petersfield Musical Festival, there was a centenary concert with readings and settings of his poems given by many distinguished performers. The concert included ‘Like the Touch of Rain’ – one of my cycle of Thomas settings, ’The Unknown Bird’, for baritone, flute, viola and harp.

Flautist Nancy Ruffer and pianist Dominic Saunders included the first performance of my ‘Sonata Serenata’ in their recital at St John’s Hampstead on Wednesday 1st March. The ‘Serenata’ of the title is slightly ironic as, although the second movement is a rather remote lover’s plea, the last is a jagged toccata – not for playing under windows! A wonderful recording by Aoife ni Raghaill, flute and David Jones, piano can found in Soundcloud.

Multi-award winning violist Timothy Ridout (winner of the Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition 2016, 1st Prize at the 2014 Cecil Aronowitz and Violin Channel Young Artist of the week, July 2016) will be including ‘Urizen’ in his March tour of Scotland supported by the Tunnell Trust. The pianist will be Ke Ma.
8th March – Dundee Chamber Music Society
9th March – Woodend Barn Arts Centre, Banchory
10th March – Dumfries Music Club
11th March – Edinburgh Society of Musicians
12th March – Pollock Arts Society

He will also be including ‘Urizen’ in a lunchtime concert as part of the Brighton Festival with John Reid as accompanist.