I’m not usually a “stressy” type but I’ve been under a fair amount of pressure these last few weeks and my “fuse” has been shorter than usual. No more Mr Nice Guy! I’m my own worst enemy of course – I keep on volunteering for things, taking on commitments and forgetting to factor-in time for sleeping, eating and other essential life-support activities. Anyway, a change of job location and being put under pressure to complete several major projects before starting my “new” job did little to improve my hectic few weeks. But having survived, I can now look back with a degree of satisfaction – and find time to take stock!

I fancy getting a singing diploma, but first, I needed to pass an ABRSM Grade 8 singing exam. I had never taken any singing exams until now and viewed it as a necessary evil. My sight-singing is complete pants and despite some intensive practice, I arrived at the exam knowing that success or failure could hinge on it. As it happens, I needn’t have been too concerned – I did passably well in the sight-singing and the five performance pieces all went pretty well (I even scored maximum points for one!). The result nevertheless surprised me…a distinction! Much of the credit for the result rests with my long-suffering and wonderful singing teacher, Debra Skeen, who is guilty of supporting me in my often over-ambitious endeavours!

At the same time as preparing for the exam, I was also trying to learn an audition piece for an audition with White Horse Touring Opera. Thankfully I was offered one of the two parts I had auditioned for and hence, I will be singing the role of Fenton in Otto Nicolai’s operatic romp The Merry Wives of Windsor. With eight performances already scheduled, I’m looking forward to it immensely – it will be my first taste of touring opera! (Check out my website for details!) There was also some good news about an earlier audition (although bizarrely, I am still awaiting official confirmation). It seems I have been selected as one of just 4 tenors to sing with the RAF’s newly formed national choir. There are some tantalizing suggestions of high-profile concerts, but I guess I’ll have to wait and see!

As if this were not enough, over the same 2 week period, I was also competing in the 100th Swindon Music Festival. There was some pretty fierce competition this year – presumably because of the centenary – and I only managed to come away with 2 trophies (plus some very useful, encouraging and positive comments from the adjudicators). My biggest disappointment was messing up in one of the duets which I sang with singing partner, soprano Vikki Champion: I was unaccountably nervous, lost the thread, and what should have been a spectacular duet came across as shaky and under-rehearsed. I was left feeling both embarrassed and guilty at having let my partner down. It’s at times like these that you have to remind yourself that you’re doing it for pleasure! I was delighted that Vikki also won two trophies and I like to think it bodes well for our joint charity recital in May. As ever, I was hugely indebted to the fabulous Paul Turner for his accompanying. He is never less than brilliant and helped to paper over several cracks in my hasty preparation (which included some “mix and match” German words in the Light Opera Class!). Although I had won a place to sing in the adult vocal championship on the Saturday evening, I forewent the opportunity because I was already committed to playing 'cello with the Wessex Concert Orchestra at our concert in Devizes.

It was the first time in many years that WCO has performed in Devizes and we were made to feel most welcome at our venue (St John’s Church). The turnout was pretty good too. I have to say that not all of the programme was to my personal liking (I've never been a great fan of Wagner) but the audience was treated to a good mix of music and doubtless there was something that everyone would have enjoyed. The highlight of the evening – Mozart’s 4th Horn Concerto – seemed to go really well and our soloist, the very talented and photogenic Lauren Reeve-Rawlings (17) (a finalist in this year’s BBC Radio 2 Young Brass Musician of the Year competition), played with real panache. Lauren has guested with WCO before, playing in the Horn section for our major concerts, so it was especially pleasing to hear her playing as a soloist. The remainder of the concert seemed to go well too, even the third movement of Beethoven’s Eighth (which had given the 'cello section nightmares). In fairness, section leader Cathy Oliver must take the credit for making it sound so good! (Review)

So after a frantic couple of weeks, it was a pleasure to start my new job and take stock of things. A successful concert with the Wessex Male Choir in Basingstoke rounded the week off nicely as we head into Easter and a much longed-for break! Rehearsing for Merry Wives of Windsor and for Opera Piccola’s opera show (“An Operatic Passion”) starts in earnest as soon as I get back from holidays! Now, where did I put that libretto….