A busy start to the year for my experimental music work. I had some of my new yoga music played at the yoga studio I attend in Blackpool. I had some very pleasing feedback from the yoga teacher as a class participant had come up to her after the class to ask about the music and had said that it was the first time they had been able to meditate properly during the end of the class. This sort of feedback is very satisfying and so infrequently received as contact between composer and listener of my experimental music is rare. My music was also played during one of the classes I attended and I was able to discern where some adaptations should be made to future recordings. In particular, the studio ceiling heater produces quite a bit of sound and this interfered with the river sounds on my piece. I am contemplating doing a live recording in the studio and then I can use the heater as a sound source and work with it, rather than fighting with it when the recording is played. This has also given me the idea of using some musical yoga friends to perform on the recording and use it as trial for working with other people to produce a piece of experimental music. The studio is a lovely space and it could be really interesting to see what can be produced.

I managed to get the bid for the Blackpool project completed and submitted using the Arts Council website (which was no mean feat).  Prior to submitting the forms I had met again with Kane and Jessica at The Star Group in Blackpool who I am intending to work with, just to run through the ideas and ensure that they would be interested in taking part. It was a very positive meeting and it gave me a few changes to the forms, as did the excellent assistance from Kane on how best to structure and word the submission for best effect. Well, the forms are in and I have to wait 6 weeks for a reply, so we shall see what happens.

I am currently in the middle of FAWM (February Album Writing Month) where the global songwriting community comes together to write 14 songs in the month of February. I have managed 14 in every one of the previous 6 FAWM sessions so I hope to do the same again this year. Last year produced a number of tracks that I am now performing live with The Sacred Woods so I am hoping for some more great tracks this year. It is great to focus so deeply on the writing process for an extended period of time and it always takes my writing to a new place so I am looking forward to the experience.

Other than that, we have had some Sacred Woods and Kittyhawk performances, not as many as last year by this point but at least we are still getting out there. I really want to do some more solo performances this year so am trying to find the time to fit in some open mics as way of a lead in. As I have spoken about before, fitting things in is a real challenge so we shall see how it goes.

Exciting times ahead I am sure, onwards…

FAWM2020