This quartet weren't valiantly performing in the lounge of a sinking ship, but at Ye Olde Rose And Crown in Walthamstow. They were led by pianist Soh Breezy, performing "jazz and popular standards" and featuring a very lovely flute sound...apart from when the flautist was a saxophonist. Soh wasn't shy to comment on the lack of applause between songs, a situation we tried our best to rectify. The cause wasn't helped by the decision to have the musicians playing in a room which may have as well have been in the next door building with the wall knocked down.
Soh and her comrades were my second musical experience of the day. The first was utterly unexpected. My phone rang around eight in the morning. Liz told me that Oliver had just told her that he was performing in a school assembly an hour later. He hadn't mentioned it before, because he was being a girl. By that I mean he was playing the part of a girl, not that he was being a wuss for not telling us. Liz had to work, but I was able to go. It turned out that Year 5 had written an opera. Well, sort of. Well, yes, they had written an opera! With the help of the Pegasus Opera Company and, as ever, the fantastic music staff of Ivydale School. They showcased some of the piece to the rest of the school. Then, at first expertly led by a couple of Year 5 children, and secondly by two members of Pegasus, the pupils, the parents and the teachers were led through an interactive workshop of song and movement. In March, the Year 5 children will be performing with 400 others at the Royal Festival Hall, all of whom have written their own operas, the best songs of which are being chosen for the one big performance. At least I think that's what's happening. Click the link below to find out. All in all this was a pretty awe-inspiring way to start the day.
And, after yesterday's double hit of musicians formerly encountered during the project, there was another one today. The guy from Pegasus was Aga, the same Aga I saw playing clarinet at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital on November 5th. After I'd re-introduced myself to him, I remembered that I haven't yet added words to the photo for that day. I will sort that out...in a minute...
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