Rodrigo Round Cape Horn and from Chile to Chilly

After Robin's arrival in LA, he didn't catch a flight home to the UK, but instead made the long journey to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Unfortunately he didn't have any time to explore this exciting place, (but will be back there later in the year), as he had to immediately board Cunard's QM2 as she set sail.

Nor was there much time to acclimatize as his first concert was the very next day.
So it was straight down to some serious practice to get the travel weary fingers in perfect working order.

Despite feeling decidedly jet lagged the concert went very well and made an immediate impression on the audience, many of whom attended the other two solo concerts he performed.

But Robin was also reunited, albeit temporarily, with his old friend Izzy Cooper. You can read more about Izzy here, 'Review: Robin Hill & Izzy Cooper' and 'Post Rodrigo Adagio'. Alternatively, if you type Izzy Cooper into the 'search this blog' function at the top you will find all the references I have made.

A musical collaboration did take place as Izzy asked Robin to join her to perform Rodrigo's 'Aranjuez Mon Amour'. He did, and it was a huge success.
Shortly after Izzy left and another friend, also a soprano, Annette Wardell, arrived.
I have previously mentioned Annette here, 'Soprano, Socialising and Nova Scotia.'

The headline acts tend to stick together, as there are only a couple on board at any one time, and Annette certainly helped out during Robin's last concert when she manned the computer to 'bring in' the orchestra as Robin performed the entire movement of Rodrigo's 'Adagio', from the Concierto de Aranjuez.
Annette did well, and coped with the tricky orchestral entrance after the second cadenza.
Having said that, Robin also did well and was rewarded with a standing ovation and request from passengers to perform more concerts!

Whilst all these musical events were taking place the QM2 navigated the trecherous seas around Cape Horn.
This was actually Robin's second experience of Cape Horn and it was relatively calm as opposed to his last experience when they were 40 foot high and breaking windows of the lower decks...see 'Stormy Weather' to refresh your memory.

Fianlly Robin arrived at Valparaio, Chile, and was driven to Santiago to begin the long and tortuous journey home.
Whoever books the flights certainly likes him to suffer for his art as he endured a 12 1/2 hour flight to Madrid, 4 hours to London, Heathrow, then just time for a quick coffee on the 40 minute flight to Manchester.

Thankfully he avoided all the snow which hit us the following day.

Robin Hill Arrives in Boston and Classical Music Blogs...

Robin was unable to get a 'phone signal, in Bar Harbor, hence the lack of communication.
He did however email me to say how nice it is there.
He was impressed to find a very pleasant cafe, which played nothing but opera, with signed photographs of various opera singers decorating the walls.
As he was enjoying his coffee with the soprano, Annette Wardell, it was particularly appropriate.

The QE2 has now arrived in Boston, Massachusetts, another first for Robin, and he will be setting off for home later today.

As Robin's guitar concerts have all been performed, and he has nothing to report but the packing of his suitcase, it allows me time to refer you to some new Links.

The Canadian pianist, Chris Foley, has been working very hard.
Many blogs have been acknowledging his efforts, and rightly so.
Not only is he running, 'The Collaborative Piano Blog', which I have recently discovered, and have now added to my links section, but, he has also put together a classical music blogs pagecast.
Basically, he has taken all the leg work out of looking around for classical music blogs, with just one click of a button.

So, to look at old favourites, or, to discover some new sites, take a few minutes to check out, 'Chris Foley's Pageflakes'.

Meanwhile, lets hope that Robin manages to arrive home, with his suitcase this time....

Soprano, Socialising and Nova Scotia

The last concert on board the QE2, for this trip, went very well.
Robin was pleased, and relieved, as it was the first time he had performed this particular programme.
It is always a little more nerve wracking, when performing a new programme, as there is always the fear that a memory lapse will occur at some point.
However, that wasn't the case, and both Robin and the audience enjoyed the concert.
He did have a minor nail problem, when one became 'unglued', but this was quickly rectified, and the audience quite amused by proceedings.

He allowed himself 15 minutes on a sun lounger to relax, before setting off for the gym, to add his pedal power to the ships engines.
Last night he went to see the soprano, 'Annette Wardell', and thoroughly enjoyed the performance.
They spent some time chatting and Robin is now working on a string quartet arrangement of 'Cavatina' for her. So that could be interesting.

Robin was obviously in socialising mood, as he got talking to a chap that remembered meeting him 25 years ago, at a concert in Luton.
It started when he was telling Robin how impressed he had been to see his book, 'The Guitar Gymnasium', in New York. They went on to discover that they had some mutual acquaintances, so were able to fill each other in on the last 25 years!

I had an email from a gentleman who was very complimentary about the blog and has been following the QE2 on its journey as he has a friend on board.
I've told Robin to look out for her, and was delighted to get some feedback from a reader!

The QE2 has now docked in Halifax, Nova Scotia, so I'm sure Robin will be going to have a look around. As his work is now complete on the QE2 he will be able to relax and enjoy it.
Mind you, even though the concerts have been performed,there's always preparation for the next one, which is shortly after he has returned home....