Dear, wonderful people of the big wide world!

Sorry It's been so long since my last (and first!) post, it’s been such a busy time. . .

I went to see Disney's new film 'Brave' recently, what fantastic music it has got! It features two title songs beautifully sung by Julie Fowlis, the rest of the music, by Patrick Doyle, is, naturally, packed with Scottish influences and there is even a song in Gaelic, Noble Maiden Fair (A Mhaighdean Ban Uasal), sung by Emma Thompson and Peigi Barker. Its great that so many people will get to hear this beautiful Scottish folk music and, I have to say, the film really does do it justice!

The weekend before last was my lovely friend Lydia's 18th birthday party, her cousins band The Young'uns played and by the end of the evening it had turned into a bit of a jam session, my sort of party! It was so fun!!! They really are incredible to listen to (even with the rest of us crooning along!). I personally like their a capella songs best, especially live, their voices blend so beautifully.

http://www.theyounguns.co.uk/

We're fully back in swing with rehearsals now, Northamptonshire County Concert band is sounding good already, working towards the first Welsh Concert Band Festival in October, a day trip to Wales . . . exciting!

Speak to you sooner next time, I promise!

Love from Alice

Alice's Wonderful Summer Of Music

Hello, wonderful people of the world!

What an incredible summer of music it has been, with the Queens Jubilee Concert, National Festival of Music for Youth, the cultural Olympiad, The Proms and, of course, the usual summer festivals.

Last weekend I went to (a very very very muddy) Greenbelt Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse, and what a folk-ey line up there was! We were treated to some well-loved favorites like Megson, Seth Lakeman, Jackie Oates, Karine Polwart, Imagined Village and the amazing foot-stomping Bellowhead, as well as discovering some exciting new things to listen to, like Rachel Sermanni, a brilliant lyricist, how does she do it!?

http://www.rachelsermanni.net/

http://imaginedvillage.com/

http://www.bellowhead.co.uk/

http://www.megsonmusic.co.uk/

To finish off a lovely summer I took a spontaneous trip to London to watch Prom 62, Eric Whitacre. It was inspiring to see so many talented musicians performing such beautiful music!

I especially enjoyed seeing 'Alleluia' performed live, my favourite of Eric Whitacre's compositions. It’s great to have such a fantastic composer based in the UK for the next few years!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/player/b01m5lkr

Speak to you soon!

Love from Alice.