Only time now for the briefest of progress reports: here goes. The Red Red Rose CD booklet notes are now written, second edit suggestions written up. I'm putting together the repertoire for our Lochaber concert, and still awaiting bureaucratic decisions before we'll know about any other gigs in September.  

The Earl of Kellie recording dates for November and March are all now in the diary, and Katherine is fixing the orchestral sessions, after a long phone call yesterday where we discussed the delicate politics of which violinist might sit where.  Have I ever mentioned how little I enjoy dealing with orchestras?

Having said that, I've accepted another delightfully silly engagement from the RSNO, playing the organ in Richard Strauss's Festliche Praeludium in the opening concerts of next season. So I'll get my hands on the Usher Hall organ, make a very loud noise on it, and wait for the orchestra to join in. Of course I haven't played that sort of organ in public for about 10 years, and come to think of it, when I was an organist I never touched the Romantic repertoire anyway, so it will be a complete ground-up learning process, but what the hell, the notes aren't hard, and I suspect it will be fun.  And the prospect of a small challenge serves to alleviate the administrative tedium of the last week or so: rehearsal schedules, funding applications, diary shuffling and so on.