My dad and what he did for me

I want to talk about my dad. And about something that he did a very long time ago that means that he can still be with me and still be part of my musical life, even though he passed away 2 years ago. It's something that means so much to me for so many different reasons. It is a link to him. It's a link to my previous musical life. It reminds me of where I was a long time ago before I stopped. It gives me recordings that when I listen to, I know he was there - because he did those recordings. I can listen to them and visualise him sitting in the audience with his little mini disc recorder and also the times when he even brought a tripod with him to set up a little recorder. He did this with so many of my concerts over so many years. Somehow he knew that 25+ years later I'd be reigniting my musical career and that I'd need what he was doing. Not just in the recordings but in feeling his love and support from all those years ago. I was so lucky - I had that love and unwavering support from both my parents.

I'm going to share these recordings with you unedited. You'll be able to hear the flaws, the old quality of the recordings, the missing frequencies, all the things that came from recording in the audience before the start of this century! To me it makes it all the more magical.

This piece is the first movement of La Flute de Pan by Mouquet, which I played as part of a recital at Leeds City Art Gallery as a result of winning a Rotary Club competition. Enjoy!