What is the Life of a Musician?

Many people arrive at this blog after searching Google and asking, "What is it like being a musician?"
This is in fact one of the reasons I started the blog in the first place.
As I haven't posted for a while it seemed a good idea to summarise the last few months, which will in turn answer the question of life for this particular musician.


The latest album, 'Standing on Air,' which can be found on iTunes, Amazon, and hard copies from our website has been doing very well, with Robin performing some of the tracks in concert on a regular basis, particularly, 'Fantastic Mr Felix,' and 'Jacaranda'.

He is also working on a single which will be released in the very near future.
This has been an exciting project and I look forward to letting you all hear it.
However, writing, arranging and then recording a song is a time consuming process and one that has had to be fitted in between long journeys, jet lag and trying to spend some time with the family.
But, when next home for more than a few days, Robin hopes to complete the single and even film the video.
Watch this space for further news.


As I have said, musicians generally have to travel, often extensively, and this has certainly been the case for Robin.
In the last three months alone he has visited Spain, France, Italy, Gibraltar, Portugal, USA, Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Greece, Hawaii, American Samoa, Fiji, Tenerife and Morocco.
Many of these he has actually been to on more than one occasion.

Sadly Robin rarely performs in the UK, with only one concert, held on the River Thames with Soprano, Izzy Cooper, back in August.

So as you can see, musicians need to be prepared to travel, practically every time they go to work, and sometimes that travel can be long and arduous.
But, having said that, just in the last few months Robin as performed the music he loves to approximately 10,000+ people.
That in itself is an amazing figure and one that surprised me when I decided to roughly work it out.

But the audiences are also what makes it worthwhile.
Being away from home and family for extended periods of time is difficult but the reward of applause after a successful concert certainly helps.

But where is he now?
Actually he is in Chile hoping that his luggage catches up with him before his first concert....

Review of 2010 - Life of a Musician - Robin Hill

As we head towards the end of another year I thought it would be interesting to see just what this particular musician has been doing over the last twelve months.
I must say I was surprised as I looked back over events and worked out a few rather astonishing statistics.

In the last year alone Robin has visited 27 different countries! But that isn't the whole picture as many of them he has returned to a number of times. For example, India 3 times, Italy 11, USA twice, Brazil 4 times and Norway a staggering 15 times.
So anyone thinking about a career in music really needs to be prepared to travel extensively.

Here are the 27 countries: United Arab Emirates, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Seychelles, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Brazil, Portugal, Spain, France, Majorca, Tunisia, Italy, Turkey, Greece, Norway, Scotland, Iceland, Holland, Croatia, USA and Gran Canaria.

All of this obviously requires longs spells away from home which can be difficult, particularly when missing important events.
This frequently happens and Robin has missed both our children's birthdays this year and also the funeral of my much loved Grandmother. This was particularly difficult for him. To be away from home at such trying times is hard indeed.

But there have been many other events.
Two albums have been released, the first in March with, 'Hill/Wiltschinsky Duo Soler Sonatas', and the second, recorded in January and released in September, 'Cancion' Izzy Cooper & Robin Hill and 'Les Filles De Cadiz'.

But there have also been problems.
One particularly worrying incident was, 'Too Much Inflammation...', which was the result of a nasty ant bite, ironically sustained at home and not during one of the four trips up the Amazon, and the photograph of the offending hand has been taken up by insect bite sites around the world!

Travelling always has its difficulties but this year we have dealt with suspect packages causing the evacuation of the airport and consequently missed planes. Luckily, through sheer determination and numerous 'phone calls between agents in London and America, rescheduled flights were arranged and Robin arrived just in time.
Not so with the elements.
He spent a very frustrating few days in Amsterdam, stranded after all airports were closed due to Volcanic ash. Eventually he made it home via trains and boats, but it ate into the few precious days he was meant to have at home.

From my point of view, I was delighted to have reached the milestone of, 'Life of a Musicians 4th Birthday,' which is quite an achievement in the blogging world, especially when you consider we are now posting the 714th blog post...

I even allowed myself the luxury of a blog post all to myself, after a number of requests from regular readers. Funnily enough, 'Anna Hill's 'Unofficial' Desert Island Discs' has become a very popular one and continues to be visited regularly.

So, looking back it has been an eventful and fulfilling year.
Once again I would like to thank all our regular readers for their continued support, and also those who just dip in from time to time.
Here at Hillhouse we hope you all had a very nice Christmas and wish each and every one of you a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.

'Cancion' Izzy Cooper & Robin Hill and 'Les Filles De Cadiz'

UPDATE:

We are all very pleased with this wonderful CD review:



'Cancion' is now available on CD Baby and on iTunes and all other major digital distribution stores.

Whilst you can hear snippets of each track we thought you may like to hear one piece in its entirety.

The piece we have chosen is track 13, 'Les Filles De Cadiz' by Leo Delibes and is the first piece on the music player in the sidebar.

'Les Filles De Cadiz' is basically a bolero rhythm which Robin has arranged in a typically flamenco idiom, and the lyrics are rather flirtatious and coquettish, for example:

'Tell me, neighbour, if I look good and my skirt is becoming this morning do you find my waist slender? The girls of Cadiz rather like to hear that.'

This suited Izzy very well.
In one review of the concert Izzy was described as a 'minx' 'mischievous, friendly, charming', all ideal qualities for 'Les Filles De Cadiz' and which can be heard in her lively and vibrant performance.
You can read the whole review by Jack Troughton here: 'Classic classical cocktail'.

One of the things I love about this recording is the energy and powerful synergy between the two musicians. You really can sense that both Robin and Izzy are truly inside the music.
In fact, make sure you listen right to the end as there is a spontaneous, and unrehearsed exclamation which was left in as it really captured the mood of the session.

The combination of voice and guitar captures the quintessence of the music, a point highlighted by Jack Troughton in his review:

'The highlights of the show were when Izzy and Robin strip the sound down to a very simplistic voice and guitar. The filigree of the instrument’s notes holding secure the jewel of the vocal, it was basic but breathtaking.'

A second review, by Nikki Luxford, 'The perfect goodbye', opens with:

"Outstanding and incredibly hypnotic...describe the polished performance given by Izzy and Robin Hill..."


You can read the rest of the article here:



And here's another review, just in:



We have been delighted with the reception of the 'Cancion' CD so far and hope that you will enjoy listening to it as much as Robin and Izzy enjoyed recording it.

Concert: Launch of 'Cancion', Izzy Cooper and Robin Hill

As regular readers will know Robin recently collaborated with the soprano Izzy Cooper to record their debut album together, 'Cancion'.
This has been an exciting and interesting project, and one that gives a new and refreshing look at the unique blend of the voice and guitar.

The official launch will be on Wednesday 1st September 2010, held in the beautiful gardens of 'Salon El Canor, Teulada, Spain'.
After a champagne reception, the concert begins at 8pm, there will be drinks and canapes available during the interval and the evening culminates in a firework finale.

For those lucky enough to attend there will be an opportunity to purchase the CD a few weeks before it is available for digital distribution, plus, a signing session has been arranged!

So far tickets have been brought from the UK, Sweden, Belgium and of course Spain itself.
For details, see the poster, or contact Izzy Cooper at www.izzysings.com

What a perfect way to end the summer with a few days away in the sunshine of Spain....

The first of many interviews have already taken place, this one 'Back in the Groove', by Jack Troughton

More will follow and once Robin arrives in Spain he will have a very busy schedule!

For those interested in the word cancion, it is the Spanish word for 'song' and is not only the album title but also the name of one track which was composed by Robin and inspired by the haunting and lyrical aspects of Izzy's beautiful voice.

As I know my blog readers like a little extra inside information, I can tell you that whilst the music had been written a few months earlier, the lyrics were composed the night before recording, by Robin in his hotel room, literally on the back of a guitar string packet!
In fact, he sang it down the 'phone to me, making alterations as he went, and by breakfast the next day had the completed version that can be heard on the CD.

So if you want the chance to hear many track from 'Cancion' live in a one of performance, then book yourself on a flight and spend a few days in this beautiful part of Spain.

Happy 4th Birthday to 'Life of a musician - Robin Hill'!!!

,

Once again I can't believe a whole year has gone by and 'Life of a musician' is celebrating its 4th Birthday! In blogging terms this makes us rather more mature than the average 4 year old...

As always it has been a busy year with extensive travel and many concerts performed. We have seen the release of a CD, 'Hill/Wiltschinsky Duo - Soler Sonatas', and the recording of another, 'Cancion', with soprano Izzy Cooper, which will be released in September!

The most popular post over the last year has been, unsurprisingly, 'Music Practice Tips - Classical Guitar', although close contenders were, 'Inspire Young Minds with Music', and one which was rather a surprise, (although I think I picked up a few hits thanks to a BBC broadcaster of the same name...) 'Anna Hill's 'Unofficial' Desert Island Discs'.

There have been fewer posts than I would have liked, but even when time constraints have prevented me from writing, I have tried to keep everyone updated via my Twitter feed, 'AnnaHill'. This tends to be a combination of work and leisure related information, but that was the whole idea. There seem to be many readers out there who like the little extra insight that can be gained from Twitter.

Naturally, I would like to thank you all for returning and reading on a regular basis, and also those that just dip in from time to time.
It is very much appreciated.
I hope the next 12 months will bring many more exciting adventures in the life of this particular musician.

Manuel de Falla and his House

The music of Manuel de Falla is known and loved throughout the world and has influenced the careers of many musicians.
Robin is no exception.
The Hill/Wiltschinsky Guitar Duo have recorded many of his pieces.
The Teldec CD 'Virtuoso Guitar' features 'El Amor Brujo', La Vida Breve' and 'El Sombreo de Tres Picos' (Three Cornered Hat) plus many other incredible pieces by Tarrega, Albeniz, Scarlatti etc, with some of the tracks performed by Wolfgang Lendle.

Plus I have mentioned Falla here on the blog a number of times, 'Alicia de Larrocha, the Ritual Fire Dance and a Maths Exam' and amusingly here on, 'Hill/Wiltschinsky - Pump It or Dump It' and 'Manuel de Falla's, 'Miller's Dance' and the Solar System'.
But Robin has also collaborated with other musicians and this post refers to one such performance, 'Review: Robin Hill and Izzy Cooper'.

So as you can see, Manuel de Falla has been a major part in Robin's life, so he was delighted to find himself in Falla's birthplace, Cadiz.
So you can imagine his excitement when he turned a corner and came across this bookshop:



Then, right next door he spotted a plaque:




And found himself standing in front of Manuel de Falla's home, (Upper floors):



Falla's birthplace overlooks a beautiful square and this is part of it:




Over the day I had many 'phone calls as Robin described each new discovery, even down to this glorious fountain, complete with turtles:




Cadiz is certainly a place I also wish to visit to pay my own respects to the wonderful composer, Manuel de Falla.

Robin Hill & Izzy Cooper Recording & Concerts on the QM2

The onset of 2010 has been a busy one.
After a snowy start, and precarious journey to Dewsbury, for a highly successful lunchtime concert, Robin set off for a week in London recording with soprano Izzy Cooper.
I'm listening to the recording as I write and I know you will all love it.
Robin and Izzy have performed many times together, and due to high demand this classical guitar/vocal album will be released in 2010.
With everything from the sweetness of Rodrigo's 'En Aranjuez Con Tu Amor', the raunchy flamenco of de Falla and a Robin Hill original, 'Cancion', there really is an eclectic mix.
It was an intense week, recording all day with the evenings spent preparing for the next session.
This was made all the more difficult by the death of my Grandmother. She and Robin had a very special relationship, as can be seen by this post, 'A Professor Calls and Lunar Bianco'. But professional as ever, the recording went on, and when you hear the words to 'Cancion', you will hear how difficult this must have been.
So it was a very tired guitarist that arrived home in the early hours of Saturday 23rd of January. This didn't prevent us spending an hour or so listening to his weeks work accompanied by the dawn chorus.
But by the 26th Robin was off once again.
This time flying to Dubai to join the Queen Mary 2, for an extensive trip visiting Cochin, Phuket, Penang, Port Kelang, Singapore, Laem Chabang, Vung Tau and finally Hong Kong.
Four concerts were performed in the beautiful Royal Court Theatre and with four different programmes Robin was kept very busy.
However, it wasn't all work.
Over the 2 1/2 weeks he met up with some old friends.
First there was the fabulous and extremely talented magician, Brett Sherwood.
The two get on very well and discovered they had a mutual interest in table tennis.
During one of their games some passing passengers stopped to watch.
They couldn't resist asking Brett if he could make the ball disappear. Sure enough, quick as a flash, the said ball disappeared before their eyes, only to to reappear a few seconds later.
This was a virtuoso performance by Brett and made Robin's task of beating him at table tennis all the more difficult.
The next time I'm in a pub with Brett I shall be plying him with drinks until he tells me how he does it!
I'm also very grateful to Simeon Wood, another old friend who was also on the QM2, and in fact left the same day as Robin. After completing his own gruelling 13 hour flight from Hong Kong he took the time to 'phone me and make sure I was aware that Robin's flight had been delayed and that he had therefore missed his connection.
All the more ironic as a few weeks previously he had been laughing about the fact that travelling with Robin always seem to result in some form of disruption.
Believe me, I know.
But now he is home, for a while anyway, and the house is once again filled with the sound of the guitar.

In Ibiza with Robin Hill & Izzy Cooper

Anyone considering a career in music might be swayed by this post.

The years and years of dedication to your instrument can result in some very special events.
To be booked to play at a private party on a private beach was one such occasion.

Robin was flown from the UK, whilst Izzy Cooper arrived from Spain, and with only two days rehearsal it was a pretty tight schedule.
However, they have performed together before and had been working on their parts separately for some time.

By all accounts it was a fabulous evening. But then with such a beautiful backdrop everyone was bound to be moved:




As Robin and Izzy performed the sea rolled gently in behind them and after the interval Robin couldn't resist informing Izzy that the waves were now only a matter of feet from them....
Ever the professional, and also used to Robin's sense of humour, she managed to remain calm and they finished the programme without getting their feet wet.

Whilst not rehearsing Robin could sit back and enjoy the view from his hotel:




And in fact spoke to me a number of times from his balcony:




But this was always going to be a busy weekend.
The next morning Robin had an early flight to Stansted as he was performing a concert that night at the Rhodes Art Complex, Bishop's Stortford.

They had thoughtfully put a poster in the window so that the travel and work weary musician knew he had arrived at the correct destination:



As I write Robin is off on his travels once again and can currently be found somewhere in Canada.
But more of that trip on another occasion.

Robin Hill - UK Concert - Don't Miss it!

With only a couple of weeks to go it is time for a reminder.

Robin will be performing at Rhodes Arts Complex , Bishop's Stortford, on Saturday 26th September. More information and ticket details can be found here.

It is one of only two concerts in the UK for the remainder of this year, as the rest of Robin's work will be performed abroad.
So, if you have an interest in the guitar, and music in general, then Rhodes Arts Complex is the place to be.

As James Burton of the Herts and Essex Observer recently said, "...Next up is a trio of concerts by some top musicians...Rounding off the hat-trick is classical guitar virtuoso Robin Hill.... his recital will be a tour through the ages, including tunes from Renaissance composers through to the present."
You can read the full report here, 'Autumn delights at Rhodes'.

Sadly I won't be able to attend.
Robin is flying straight there from a private function in Ibiza with soprano Izzy Cooper.
But we are all in for a busy weekend.
Robin will be setting off home bright and early the next day as an eager youngest son will be awaiting his return.
It will be his 7th birthday!

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.

The QE2 - Final Journey

Now this is confusing as Robin is actually on the Queen Victoria.
But as he has performed many times on the QE2, and I have many QE2 fans who follow this blog, I couldn't let such a significant day pass without a mention.

I am referring to the preparations for the final journey of the QE2 as she leaves Southampton.
You can read an article by Caroline Gammell here.

The QE2 is very special and Robin has had many happy times on board.
I have written so many posts about her over the years, and you can see some of them by typing QE2 into 'search blog', but here are a selection.

'The QE2, the Giant Cat, and Plenty of Practice', 'Comedy on Cunard, Coffee and Clapping and YouTube', or maybe, 'Post Rodrigo's 'Adagio'.

There has been a minor problem though in the early hours of the morning.
Apparently the QE2 ran aground, but even this event was so gracefully done that most passengers were unaware of the problem!
You can read Kate Kelland's report here.

We wish her a safe final journey. Meanwhile, Robin and the Queen Victoria have arrived in Port Said, Egypt, and his second concert is tomorrow.

Review: Robin Hill & Izzy Cooper

On the 28th August Robin and the soprano Izzy Cooper performed a concert in Spain, 'Viva La Classica'.
I mentioned how it had gone at the time, rather briefly, as I was in the process of retrieving my son before he became stranded, when his Dad flew off to another concert.
You can read the post here.

So I was very pleased, when yesterday I was notified about a review, written by Jack Troughton, in 'Round Town News'.
I was even happier when I read the first line, "The golden blend of Izzy Cooper's powerful voice and the glorious guitar playing of Robin Hill made Viva La Classica an enchanting success."

The programme was a varied one:

Act 1:

Les filles de Cadix - Leo Delibes
Siete Canciones Populares Espanolas - Manuel de Falla
Bachianas Brasileiras No.5 - Heitor Villa-Lobos

Un Dia de Noviembre - Leo Brouwer (solo - Robin Hill)
Recuerdos de la Alhambra - Francisco Tarrega (solo - Robin Hill)
Malaguena - trad arr.Hill (solo - Robin Hill)

En Aranjuez, con tu amor - Joaquin Rodrigo
Granada - Agustin Lara
Tu Quieres Volver - Gypsy Kings


Act 11:

Lascia Ch'io Pianga - George Frederic Handel
Plaisir D'Amour - Jean Paul Martini
Scarborough Fair - Simon and Garfunkel
Fields of Gold - Sting
Ave Maria - Charles Gounod

Tango en Skai - Roland Dyens (solo - Robin Hill)
Cavatina - Stanley Myres (solo - Robin Hill)
Asturias - Isaac Albeniz arr.Hill (solo - Robin Hill)

My love is like a red red rose - Robbie Burns
Somewhere over the rainbow - E Y Harburg & Harold Arlen
O Mio Babbino Caro - Giacomo Puccini
Imagine - John Lennon
Por ti Sere - Brendan Graham & Rolf Lovland


Here's a photo, courtesy of Round Town News, of Robin whilst performing one of the solo pieces.
The more observant amongst you will notice the lack of footstool. He is in fact, on this occasion, using a special cushion, designed to mould to the shape of the leg.



The review itself is a great one.
Izzy is described as a, "star", and Robin, "holds an audience spellbound", and one line I particularly like, " His fingers flew along the guitar's neck like the wings of a hummingbird."
But don't take my word for it. Follow the link and read it for yourself, "One Enchanted Evening".
Both Izzy and Robin are delighted at the reception they received, and have already been taking orders for the album they will be recording together.

My job, to find a time in their busy schedules to make that possible....and soon.

Coffee in Alicante

We have had a strange few days.
Robin and son left Crystal Serenity some time ago.
To prove Robin did actually do a concert whilst there, here's the poster:



And this was taken during the sound check:




They then spent a few days in Spain preparing for the concert with Izzy Cooper. This is one of many rehearsals:



Apparently the concert was a huge success.
The beautiful setting was the perfect backdrop for a lovely concert, with a programme that included pieces by Leo Delibes, Manuel de Falla, Villa-Lobos, Leo Brouwer, Tarrega, Joaquin Rodrigo, Handel, Puccini and many more, and there was even a firework display at the end!
I'm hoping to get some pictures at some point, but I do know that the audience had a wonderful evening.
Despite some technical problems, which required Robin to tell a few jokes whilst the team sorted it out, all went extremely well.
So successful was the event that a recording will hopefully be made in the next few months.
It was 2am before the audience finally let the pair go, so it was rather a tired party that arrived to meet me at the airport.

Not that I minded.
I'd been up incredibly early myself in order to arrive in Spain at 11 am....
The reason for this madness??
Well, when it was arranged that son number one would accompany Robin on the Crystal trip we thought they would both be returning home at the end of it.

After all flights were booked and plans made, it became obvious that the only available date for the Robin and Izzy to perform, was the 28th August.
So, the Hill men were diverted to Spain.

Unfortunately, Robin then had to fly straight off to Malta...
So, on Friday, I flew over to Spain to collect my son, before he became an abandoned child.
We had checked out all possibilities for him to fly solo, but unbelievably it isn't possible between Alicante and Manchester before he is 12 years old!!

Actually, it did at least mean that I briefly met Izzy, and also had a whole 2 hours with my husband.
Obviously coffee and a sandwich in Alicante airport isn't the romantic of settings, but when he's away for a month anything is a bonus.

The time sadly flew by, and before we knew it there was a tearful farewell, as Robin boarded a plane to Malta.
Son and I then spent many hours sitting in the sun, outside the airport, catching up with news, before our flight home.

Now Robin has joined the Queen Victoria where he has two concerts over the next week, the first one today.

More on that soon. Hopefully.

Still Missing and 'Maestro' BBC 2

I have a confession to make.
I am addicted to the BBC2 series 'Maestro'.
Luckily for me, the third episode was shown last night, as it helped take my mind off the missing suitcase.
Yes, the case is still missing, and Robin's concert with soprano Izzy Cooper is tomorrow....

The BBC's aim, along with the series, 'Classical Star',(which I have previously posted about here, here, here, here and here) is an attempt to introduce fresh viewers to the area of classical music.
This must be a good thing.

The selection of contestants appears to be well thought out, as they include 'celebrities' from such varied backgrounds they will hopefully bring their own 'fan base' along.
The initial eight were, 'Goldie', 'Jane Asher', 'Bradley Walsh', 'Peter Snow', 'Sue Perkins', 'Alex James', 'David Soul' and 'Katie Derham'.

The idea is that the 8 novice conductors are gradually whittled down to one final winner, who will then go on to conduct the BBC Concert Orchestra in front of 30 000 people at the Proms in the Park.

I'm not going to divulge the 'evictions' so far, as some of you may wish to see for yourselves.
The judges, Sir Roger Norrington, Zoe Martlew, Simone Young and Dominic Seldis have been offering advice, (often amusing), alongside voting contestants off the show.
All this is overseen beautifully by Clive Anderson.

The BBC Concert Orchestra, a very fine orchestra, (and one that Robin has performed with on a number of occasions), possibly have the most difficult task of actually following these novice conductors as they learn to multitask like never before...

I hope that the programme has been successful in its aim.
I did find an active forum debating each episode, which I suppose is a good sign.
However I would like to hear the views of the various 'classical music blogs', so far I have found little, except a brief mention by conductor Kenneth Woods, that he has been watching.

As the BBC are offering a much needed opportunity for classical music to be seen on television then maybe we should start discussions in the blogging world...

I've outlined it, you debate it.

No News is Good News?

The news is - that I have no news....
Literally.
Actually it has all been rather difficult for the last 24 hours.
Here are the facts so far:

I know that Robin, and son, left Crystal Serenity on Sunday morning as they called me from a hotel whilst waiting for their transport to Athens airport.

I also know that they arrived at the airport and boarded a flight to Madrid.
After the recent dreadful events there, I was rather anxious about this particular flight. I know this was completely irrational, but try telling that to your brain as it works overtime.

The anxiety then increased when there was no call on arrival at Madrid.
However, I reminded myself, frequently, that it was a rather tight connection, and that the flight Athens - Madrid had been delayed by 30 minutes, thus making the situation worse.

So, with the aid of a glass of wine on Sunday evening, I reassured myself that there just hadn't been time to call home.
Then, later, I got a call - from a public 'phone box (Remember those things!)

They had landed safely in Madrid, run as fast as they could to make their connection, and caught it - just. Then they flew to Alicante.

The battery had gone flat on the mobile, hence the use of a 'phone box.
That's all OK, I was just relieved that my two Hill men had arrived.

10 minutes later another call.
"Can you get hold of Izzy (Cooper) and tell her we are here but they have lost our luggage..."
The 'phone line went dead.
Urmm.
I called the only number I had, spoke to a very helpful lady who said she would pass the message on, and basically that was the last thing I heard.
This was late Sunday evening.

So all day I have been thinking about what might be happening. (Apart from a very pleasant few hours when I was out with family.)
No news is good news, right?

My current thinking is that the luggage didn't appear as the charger for the 'phone will have been in the suitcase.
But to lose both sets of cases!!!
Maybe they are still on the dockside in Athens. Or perhaps left in Madrid. Or even on the wrong plane completely and are right now in Honolulu....

The concert is on Thursday so there is time for the cases to appear.
But I have been concerned how Father and son have been coping with the complete lack of clothes, wash bags etc.
More importantly, strings, nails repair kit and most of Robin's music will also be missing....

Actually, I'm rather pleased I'm not there.
And as the 'phone can't be charged until the case arrives, I don't even have to deal with any of the 'long distance' fallout.

But this is a scenario that we are unfortunately rather familiar.
A few examples, 'The Robin Hill Saga', 'A Case of the Borrowed Tuxedo', or, 'Lost Luggage Again', and the most frightening, 'Missing - Miguel Rodriguez Churchdoor...'.

An added frustration has been an inability to access Twitter. This is ongoing and I don't know if it is just me, or whether the whole system is down.
The lack of tweets for 24 hours has made me realise just how much I use it - and how much I needed a few reassuring words from the global community over the last day.

But for now all I can do is wait.
Hopefully at some point the cases will be returned.
So the 'phone and charger will be reunited.
Then I can find out exactly what has been going on.

Take Five, Spain and MySpace

It's rather a strange experience for me, and for Robin, on this trip.
He is so used to travelling alone, and even has his usual room on Crystal Serenity, but this time is sharing it with son number one.

For me, it's odd to be receiving e mails from both of them, and pictures of my eldest, globetrotting around Europe!

To prove they are both there, here is the official Crystal photograph, of them beside Serenity:



The first two days were spent in Venice, and here he is again, sporting a Crystal t-shirt given as a present from a previous trip:



After a day at sea, they arrived in Katakolon, Greece, and spent a very pleasant time having a good look around.

But it isn't all fun.
Robin has also been working hard. Not only on the programme for his recital in a few days time, but also the new pieces and arrangements for the concerts in Spain, with Izzy Cooper, which are on the 27th and 28th of August.
You can see details of the Spanish concerts, including the official poster, here.

Meanwhile, here at Hillhouse it has also been busy.
I have been very pleased with a number of comments recently over on our MySpace page.
Go and have a look, and if you haven't been there for a while, you'll see there is now another track added, 'Footsteps of the Moai', taken from the new CD, 'Eyes That Talk To The Sky'.
Enjoy.

Prepare for 'Viva La Classica!' - Robin Hill and Izzy Cooper

Robin continues to be busy whilst away on the Queen Victoria.
He has made a quick visit to Gibraltar and is certainly enjoying the sunshine after a month at home, in which it rained constantly!

But he has to prepare for his second concert, which will be held tomorrow, so only allowed himself an hour or so on land, before returning to continue his rehearsals.

Robin is also putting the finishing touches to some arrangements for the very special concerts on the 27th and 28th of August, with Izzy Cooper, 'Viva La Classica!'

The programme is varied, and Robin has produced some fantastic arrangements, which compliment Izzy's voice beautifully.
Publicity is well under way over in Costa Blanca, as you can see in this interview with Izzy, by Jack Troughton, 'The Return of Izzy'.

It's an interesting article which tells you how the concerts came about, and some hints at the programme, which covers everything from 'Les Filles de Cadiz' by Leo Delibes, to Gypsy Kings!

Held in the gardens of Teulada's Salon El Canor, they will be two very special evenings.

Time Machine

Well, it has been rather a surreal day.
Robin set off early to drive down to London.
Those following Twitter yesterday will have seen that we did in fact try to purchase a train ticket.
After a frustrating time 'on line' we discovered that we would have to pay one part of the journey twice, just to collect the tickets...
As the cost was already nearing that of a small sized family car, a quick visit to the railway station followed.

The surly man at the desk assured us that it was indeed possible to get from Manchester to London, but he couldn't guarantee getting home again....
What! We're talking two major cities here.

To cut a long story short, Robin got up early this morning and drove instead.
He has had a successful rehearsal with Izzy Cooper and is particularly pleased with the Villa Lobos and Manuel de Falla arrangements he has been working so hard on recently.

Meanwhile here at Hillhouse I made an innocent comment on Twitter about son number two wanting to make a time machine.
From this I have received advice on black holes and wormholes, made new friends, and it appears that my progress has been followed as far afield as Michigan, where an order has already been placed if successful in my quest.

Well, I can report that it has been an extremely successful day.
Our time machine is complete.
So far we have travelled to the Jurassic period, met pirates on the high seas, a cyberman (Dr Who style) and Alien Spacemen, which were obviously from the future.

The patent is pending, but as you are such a trustworthy lot out there in the blogosphere, I shall let you into our secret.

Requirements:

1 plastic bucket - large
lots of paper
lots of sellotape
crayons
plastic poles

and most importantly, the mindset of a 5 year old.

As for my order, my Twitter friend, Ari in Michigan, the cost, well I'm afraid it's priceless.
And if you think I've lost my mind now, just wait until you read my ramblings after another 5 1/2 weeks of school holidays...

A Song, A Soprano, and A Book

Where's Izzy Cooper when you need her?
Robin is currently working on a few arrangements for the concerts in August.
They are sounding great, but there is a problem.
He keeps seeking me out, and asking me, to sing the soprano part.

The problem is, I'm not a singer.
By any stretch of the imagination, I am not a singer.
I'd love to be a singer, and have tried recording various songs of Robin's, over the years.
And he has always, very patiently, manned the recording equipment, before playing back the 'take', and trying to disguise the nervous tick that starts to develop.

But I am trained to observe, and I also have ears.
I can hear that I am no singer.
I can also see the flicker of pain as it crosses the sensitive musician's face.
That's OK though, we got past all that years ago.

So today, as he asks me to sing some parts for him, he is under no illusions, and neither am I.
Basically we are checking that the notes are all in the right places...
The children have escaped to another room and the dogs have their paws over their ears.

Actually, I'm doing myself an injustice.
I'm not that bad, as non-professional singers go, I'm OK.
But Robin has spent parts of his career working with some incredible singers, Pavarotti, Russell Watson, Madeline Bell, etc.
So my 'singing round the house' style just can't compete.

Luckily, I'm not trying to make a living out of it.
I have however just completed a book.
A whole book, from start to finish, written.
I still have some editing to do, and the small matter of getting an agent and publisher, but I won't let that spoil the mood.
It's not everyone that can say they have written a book...

Guitarists and Their B****y Nails

I have certainly neglected you all over the last week but there hasn't been a lot to report, other than nail issues....

Robin has been doing a lot of travelling this year, involving many concerts.
As all guitarists know, and also any non-guitarists who follow this blog, guitarists are completely at the mercy of the quality of their nails.

It's a constant battle to keep the nails of the right hand in an acceptable condition to stand up to the rigours of performing.
The vicious circle of super glue, silk wrap and acetone really do take their toll.
The underlying nail becomes damaged and weakened, resulting in further use of super glue, silk wrap and acetone....etc. etc.

There comes a point when the nails have to be rested and allowed to recover.
But this isn't easy.
With the next concert is looming on the horizon practice has to be done.

There's also the constant need to learn new material, and in this particular month, there is a lot to learn.
The concert in August with Izzy Cooper requires arrangements to be made, and then learnt.
Hopefully, later this month they will also be able to get together, and play through some of the pieces.

But first, Robin has had to rest his nails.
It really is the only time this year that he can completely stop playing, only for a few days, and allow them to recover.

So the glue is off.
The silk wraps are off.
And therefore the acetone isn't needed.

He is religiously applying various lotions and potions in an attempt to rehydrate the battle worn nails, so they will be in a good condition to return to duty for the forthcoming bookings.

As you can imagine this is actually a rather stressful process for Robin.
Not only is he concerned about the upkeep of his nails, but also he misses playing the guitar.
The only saving grace has been the mandolin.
Fortunately, the mandolin is played with a pick, so no nails are required.
Consequently, as you will have read on the tweets, we are hearing a lot of rather nice mandolin playing.
Mind you, it's a good job it hasn't been sunny.
If I hear 'O Sole Mio' one more time, I will just have to go out and buy an ice cream...