Well we have had two concerts in the last two weeks. The first at our own hall and the second was yesterday at Christ Church to celebrate their 50th birthday. I think we gave them a really good show, and it sounded really good!

Most of us regulars are in disgrace though, after being told off by our wonderful leader for not turning up to practice last Thursday.

Oh well!

Ok, I'm a day late, but obviously it was rather late when I got home from celebrating our 50th anniverary reunion.

Well what can I say, the weather was glorious, the music sounded fab, the food was tasty and the company outstanding!

NoMoreMissNiceGal co-ordinated the event, and it was brilliant! I was lovely so see so many faces and catch up on some gossip.

It was also great to not have to play quietly all the time as we had so many violinists, and also a pleasure to share my music with someone at a concert, particularly as Matt was very attentive at turning the page and didn't manage to fling my music half way across the orchestra like my usual "desk-mate" C often does.

Even the boss made it to the Rose & Crown afterwards, although she nearly fell asleep over a ham cob. But I think the day was a resounding success.

Roll on the next 50 years!

... to have someone join us for practice who is good! This thursday, we had a VERY good clarinet player rehearse with us for the first time, and it was lovely to hear the extra parts and sounds you get when listening to somone who is good!

LittleMIssNiceGal was on form to give us something to snigger at during the practice, but the reunion is a big job for her, so please don't ask her again if any particular person is going to the reunion - she has threatened to kick your head in if you do!

I missed most of last night's rehearsal, due someone ringing me just as I left the house so I think I managed the rare feat of spending three times as much time in the pub as I did actually practicing.

Anyway, we played Promenade, Gnome, aand The Old Castle from "Pictures At An Exhibition" by Mussorsky. They sounded quite good considering we haven't played them for a good ten years. However, it made it really obvious that we are lacking a cello player in the orchestra, which is a real shame.

ps
Just for a change, our leader was complaining that we were playing notes that were "too intune"

Well this last Thursdays practice was infinately more successful due to the fact that experience players from each section turned up.

Played a couple of Tchaikovshy pieces that were VERY old and found at the back of a cupboard - really struggled on that, especially when the contuctor stopped half way through thinking we had finished (???). But then we played the Impressario which I think most of us can play by heart, we have played it that many times.

It was good to have a good old blast through some good loud music!

Well apparently there was quite a turn out for Tuesday's rehearsal but I coulnd't make it. So when I went last night there was only three of us! This actually made the Arrival of the Queen of Sheba" sound quite good, but after that we were really struggling for music to play with one flute, one clarinet and a piano. So we ented up playing string quatet parts (yes I know - 0ne part missing, I can count) but this meant I had to transpose. In the end I had to give up because my head hurt!

Nomoremissnicegal is starting to stress about the reunion, so if you haven't paid you had better watch out!

Oh hang a minute - that'll be me then!

I DID NOT enjoy last night's rehearsal.

This was because my clarinet fell apart as I got it out of the case (due to a missing screw which must have worked its way loose). I tried to go home, but was talked into playing the clarinet parts on an old trumpet found in the cupboard.

So you know what is no.1 on my urgent jobs list now I am hols for a week.

I wasn't really in the mood, but my hot water bottle and I made it to practice last night, and actually I think it did me the world of good.

We played some quite hard stuff, so its hard to think about anything else at the same time.  I'd forgotten how hard "My Fair Lady" is.  Can't quite remember the other stuff we played but it was all challenging enough (except for the Haydn - which is deathly boring if you play a wind instrument).

Spent hours on Sunday finally sorting out our website. Anyway, its not flash just funtional, but "it" went live this morning

Its now only four months until our big reunion, but we are still having trouble contacting ex-members of the orchestra.

If you read this and know anyone who used to live in Leicester, can you please ask them if they belonged to, or knew anyone else who belonged to the "Leicester Orphean Youth Orchestra", and if so to contact me through this site!

Thanks for your help!

... but in a productive way!

Didn't go to practice yesterday, because I went to see the Leicester Philamonia concert instead, (apologies if I spelt the incorrectly!). They played Fingal's Cave, the Beethoven Violin Concerto, and the superb Jupiter by Mozart. We have tried to practice this, but I kept getting lost, so it was great to hear it done properly.

My enjoyment was marred however, by a large group of school children as to my right who kept talking, fidgeting, and rustling sweet papers through the whole thing. They were so bad that a man in frot of me told them off, and later a Demontfort Hall usher came to speak to them too.

Oh, I think I forgot to say - those children were with me. Sorry

No big concerts comming up, so there was hardly anyone at rehearsal last night - we played some pretty obscure stuff too (well obscure to me anyway).

Discussed publicity for the reunion. How exactly do you get in let people know who have moved out of ther area, and no-one knows their address. Only our local media would be vaguely interested, so I'm not sure how to solve this one.

... on a mini scale, but this probably meant more to me than the big do planned for later in the year.

Much of folk-lore around the orchestra revolves around the twins, and anyone who was a member of the orchestra in the 80's will remember their escapades, especially their illicit trysts (ok, then - kiss chase, and not with each other, I must add!) behind the garages. Kids eh?

Well having escaped the clutches of the orchestra, one returned but the other is living in the US.

BUT NOT AT THE MOMENT! Twin no.2 is back on holiday in Leicester this week. And we are on a promise for a night down the pub after orchestra practice on Thursday.

And if they don't turn up?
... their childhood secrets will be exposed on these pages!

You have been warned!

I so cant wait, 2 weeks and 3 days to my birthday! OMG im sooooooo excited! 3 weeks and 6 days till the big night out in leicester! cum on! so if any really good looking or even just average looking young ladies would like to cum out and make my night that little bit much better please call me on 999!

This one is for little monkey cus i rembered to put a title on this one! and to what lolly wrote to me just give them my number!

I dont actualy think little monkey relised that im most likely never gonna put anything about orchestra or about the reunion on this blog! HA, never mind!

ive been trying to think of nik name's for people in the orchestra who dont already have one!(cus ive been told i cant name people directly) here's a few ive thought of, let me no wat u think!

VIOLA = Mr Bean
1ST FLUTE = The Mouth

I need one aswell so i will leave that to the lovely lolly and little monkey!
If anyone has any thoughts please do contact me on .... This blog!

thank you to all my loyal fans! i will grace you all with my presents very soon!

LOVE YOU ALL

YES! you have no idea how long it has taken me to write stuff on this site! and the worst thing of all is, ive actualy got nothing intresting to write! ive been told that i cant make any anti-semeitic joke towards WOO WOO or WEE WEE, what ever you people like to call him! which i think is the biggest bag of ! only joking i'll be good ! honestly! im so nearly 18! just 22 days left! so if any one would like to send any donations to me send them to! only joking again! see you all later

We think we should change Woo-woo's name to "wee-wee", after he nearly wet himself in my car on the way back from last night's concert, from Lolster continually prodding him in the belly!

Never announce that you need the loo when you are miles away from home in my car!

I seem to have lost my music. THats right, the music I will need for tonight's concert!

Oh dear!

The Town Twinning dinner went well, and apparently we had lots of very favourable comments about our playing.

The dinner was very nice, although the service wasn't quite what I expected as we were are a banquetting hall that regularly caters for large numbers of people. So you think they could have got enough food, especially as we had to pre-order two weeks ago.

During the dinner we managed to find Lolster's sister a new landlord, (we haven't actually told her yet) - one of the violin players (for this purpose I shall call him "woo-woo"). He offered very favourable terms to take her off Lolster's hands and even promised, while rubbing his hands "I won't touch her", (when clearly, that exactly what he was thinking). Just what you need to hear from your new landlord. Still, I doubt it will make up for the cental heating.

Can't really remember much about the rest of the do, I was too tired. In fact so tired, that I managed to break a large vase by knocking it with my case on the way out! I seem to have got into a habit of breaking things lately!

Roll on Friday's prom concert. (Love this type of concert, because its LOUD!)

:D

Wow, last nights practice went on SO long! I know we have TWO concerts next week, but surely that doesn't mean we have to practice for twice as long!!! I think the clock needs fixing! (we have always based practices on the theory that there sould be twice as much left after the practice before the pub closes, should you so wish to partake, than time actually spent practicing).

There was a big turn out, so it meant I could have a good blast without fear of being too loud, and everything sounds better when there is a fuller sound. It was nice too to see some people how haven't managed to practice with us often lately, including our former leader who has recently come back from NZ. - And I thought that the bass section sounded jolly nice, especially now we "farty" noises again!!!!!

And our last instruction before we went pout the door? "Don't forget there's no practice on Tuesday" - That'll be because we are playing at concert then, won't it!?!?

Ok last night's post was succinct, I know, but I'm awake now. I missed "Lolster" at last nights rehearsal, because she is away this week, but the music sounded good and there was a reasonable crowd there, so not too many gaps.

The conductor thinks that we are being a bit over critical of ourselves - she thinks this shows that our standard has improved. I suggested that maybe we were just getting ratty in our old age, but she wouldn't have it!

Anyway, invitations have gone out for the reunion, which I notice today is 6 months and 6 days away. We are worried about missing any ex members out, (and there are hundreds of ex-orchestra members), especially as some of our favourite current members claim to have been missed from our 40th anniversary reunion, (which strangely, we think was held only nine years ago - I may go into that later). So we have all gone off racking our brains as to who we may have missed. My contribution will probably be to drop some leaflets at libraries around the county.

No Lolster at practice, she's on "manouvers somewhere"!

This is the journal of our other life, where we are pillars of society, doing our little bit, to lighten hearts and raise a bit of cash for charity. Hopefully others will join our merry band of minstrels, but who knows?