House Concerts with Robin Hill

Isn't it strange how trends ebb and flow over hundreds of years?
Here I am about to discuss a phenomena that has taken America by storm and is beginning to make waves here in the UK.

A house concert is literally that.
A concert in your own home.
You don't even need a particularly large space as the whole point is to create an intimate environment in which to enjoy live music.
Think miniature Carnegie or Wigmore Hall in your own living room.

Generally these are private events and all that is needed is a reasonably sized group of friends to share the experience with you.

But in the area of classical music, this is certainly nothing new.
Musicians toured, performing at peoples homes as a matter of course, through the 16th/17th/18th and 19th Centuries.
Frequently they would compose a piece of music specifically for their host or patron, sometimes to celebrate a particular event.
For example, John Dowland's, 'The Earl of Essex Galliard' and 'Mrs Vaux's Gigge'.

Whilst lutenists may have paved the way, the guitar is ideally suited to concerts in intimate environments where it can be heard at its unamplified best.

Robin is used to performing concerts in a variety of settings.
From major venues with audiences in the thousands, (I think the largest being with Pavarotti were there were 25 000, and 3 500 for a performance of Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez with the Liverpool Philharmonic, and I don't know how many when he played the James Bond theme at the Proms in the Park, London!).
Or T.V. shows beamed to 6 million viewers (admittedly he couldn't see them all but he knew they were there...), to average sized smaller venues of a couple of hundred people.

But Robin, like many musicians, actually enjoys performing in smaller settings.
To be able to see the audience, (stage lights usually mean you can't make out any details past the first few rows), and receive immediate feedback, is very rewarding.
Robin has actually frequently performed what are now called, 'House Concerts'. Often they have been associated with events, an example being a surprise birthday party for a lifelong guitar enthusiast and maker.
You can imagine how pleased he was to find Robin in his lounge, right in front of him, and to have the chance to speak to him between pieces!

So now you can take advantage of the centuries old tradition of holding your very own House Concert.
For anyone with an interest in music, the guitar in particular, the opportunity to observe a performance in such close proximity, and have the chance to talk to Robin about technique, hand positions, scales and arpeggios, the price of fish.. whatever you like really, would be highly enjoyable for both parties.

Neither does it matter where you live.
Robin performs all over the world as it is.
We would simply tie it in with his schedule, or even promote a tour simply for house concerts in your area/country.
All you have to do is contact me to discuss availability, length of concert required etc. I should also point out that it won't cost the host house anything! All will be explained when you contact me.
It really is that simple. Steve Lawson (solobasssteve), has recently toured the US, organising many of his house concerts through twitter whilst en route!

So contact me, in whatever format you prefer....
Give it a try and be the envy of your friends!

From, Fish - Brain Food for Musicians, to Oscar Peterson, to Elgar

We had an interesting discussion last night.
Robin declared that prior to each concert on board the QM2, he had the desire/need to eat fish, salmon for breakfast, and whatever was available for lunch.
Now, it has long been known that fish is 'brain food', and this, Robin felt, was the root of his need.
One could think that it was maybe caused by a return to the basic hunter/gatherer instinct, he was after all mid-Atlantic, and therefore, presumably, surrounded by many thousands of our scaly friends.
But I think not.
His body was telling him that his brain needed a little extra on the days of his concerts.
During the talk, I went down the path of, 'well, you have a good, balanced diet, and the majority of the need must be in your fingers and their agility.'
No.
Robin is adamant, and I'm sure he's right, that when performing, the hands are acting in a well rehearsed, mechanical way, with both motor and neural memory involved.
But what makes a performance special, is the mind. It's here that the interpretation takes place, the fingers are merely following orders.

To quote Glenn Gould:
"One plays the piano with one's mind not one's fingers."

Robin's theory seemed to serve him well, after all, he delivered two hugely successful guitar concerts.
Naturally, I now get the feeling, that I will be required to add exciting, lovingly prepared fish dishes, to the agenda, as a pre concert ritual.
I'd better go and acquaint myself with the local fishmonger.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the world, 'Oscar Peterson Misses His Own Tribute'. Simon Houpt reported on a sell out concert in the main auditorium of Carnegie Hall. Unfortunately the jazz legend wasn't well enough to make the journey.
However, a large photograph of him at the piano and smiling broadly, was placed on the stage.
His wife, Kelly, and daughter, Celine, were both in attendance, and were touched by the whole evening.
I'm sure they will return home and tell him how much the public appreciate his contribution to music.

Also, there has been a lot of talk in the UK about Elgar and his 150th anniversary, with many saying that celebrations of Elgar's works, may not necessarily be found abroad.
I was therefore pleased to see this report in the 'Chicago Tribune', 'Elgar At 150. Anybody Care?' by Alan G.Artner.
Artner feels that after 40 years of listening to Elgar's music, that people should care.
Well done.