oooooh!

I must just tell you, I had a fantastic day at Highcliffe Primary School in Birstall, Leicestershire, yesterday! 

Year 6 have been working on a project about Ghana in West Africa, and both classes of 35 children had two one hour sessions with me.  They then performed their pieces on djembe, doun douns and a variety of hand percussion to the rest of KS2 at the end of the day.  We all learned a new chant together, and within 24 hours I already have 8 new children signed up for private drumming lessons!

It's always so rewarding to find children so interested and engaged, not only in the rhythms and instruments, but wanting to find out about how the instruments are made, and what life is like where they come from.  The brilliant thing about returning each year to a school is that children remember what they learned the previous year, teachers have the opportunity to enjoy seeing their pupils so enthused and on task with a visiting artist, and I know where find the teabags and biscuits!!!

I rushed home and after walking the dog and a snooze in the armchair, made it to Acoustic Knights for a headline performance with Phil Riley - what a great evening!  First Tuesday of every month, and Bob Spencer manages to attract a different line up each time, from solo singer/songwriters, to younger more contemporary performers, blues officionados (how on earth do you spell that word!?!) ... beginners to more seasoned performers, the club has a great cabaret atmosphere, stage and lighting, and everyone is respectful and supportive of all the different kinds of music.  Within a few days Bob has photographs and a few words on his website about the evening, so do check it out!

The trouble with days like yesterday, when I got up at 05.30am and went to bed at 01.30am some 20 hours later, it takes me a day to recover!