The “Bird of Paradise” is a remarkably dynamic flower that, viewed from a certain angle, resembles a flying bird. It originates from South Africa, where it is also nicknamed the “Crane Flower”. The Bird of Paradise has three bright orange petals and three blue petals which are fused together into a single bud. This Bird…
Time for some good old Irish tunes and a wee dance. May Irish eyes always shine.
I am looking forward to a visit from my adorable little grand-daughter. Aurelie is six years old and is a gorgeous, energetic wee girl who fills the room with sunshine.
Delighted to support The Trove Cambridge with their Crowdfunding campaign and Treasures Box Launch! Love the video and the fact that Steph used my music – Yiruma’s ‘River Flows in You’ from ‘The Wedding Album’
Boléro is an orchestral piece of music by the French composer Maurice Ravel (1875–1937). It premiered in 1928 and is widely regarded as his most famous composition. It was originally written as a ballet piece. The music consists largely of a theme repeated over and over again. With each repeat, he simply adds more instruments!…
Read this fantastic blog written by Piano Veloute on the history and enduring popularity of the Waltz from 18th Century Vienna to Comtemporary Music & Dance.
Portrait of Robert Burns, 1787

My first musical thrill of the New Year in 2020 was to listen to Max Richter’s re-imagining of Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons”, a Christmas gift from my son, Julien. Richter refers to his work as a re-composition and in many ways it is. Although one recognises the more familiar melodies of Vivaldi, it is no mere…
I have always loved Christmas. I remember one magical Christmas Eve walking with my older brother, Jim, through the deep snow to serve at midnight mass. It was my debut. I was so excited! I can still hear the distant church bells as we scrunched for a long way through the thick snow. All around,…