BassoonTube - Uptown Funk vs Beethoven

Track number three is here, check it out, I'm very proud of it. It's been a difficult couple of months but working on this project has been an absolute joy. I've fallen back in love with playing the bassoon and it has really opened my eyes to the possibilities for the future of this idea. However I am a little bit sick of looking at screens like this haha.

The only problem today with this track was that I recorded in Trinity Laban. Whoever told me the percussion pods were sound proof definitely lied haha. There were a few problems trying to do takes without excess background noise but dedication and an extra half hour got the job done. Also, wandering college with all the recording stuff has been a drag, when they designed this building people obviously carried less things. This is part of the pile I had with me.

With regards to the future, I plan to carry on arranging and recording so if you've enjoyed the ones so far then make sure to keep an eye out cos there will be more on the way.

See you soon xx

BassoonTube - Begin Again

It's done! Track number two (Begin Again - Taylor Swift) has been recorded, edited and uploaded to SoundCloud. Take a listen here! I've got to be honest and say that I am really proud of the way it has turned out. The arrangement has been done for almost a month now but unfortunately due to my wind quintet going on tour and a number of other activities I haven't had chance to sit down and get it recorded. It was recorded again in The Parnaby Tavern Hunslet after my uncle very kindly allowed me to use the function room for a couple of hours. After that it took a bit of editing and boom, final product. The arrangement for the next track has also been finished and I'm looking forward to recording that in Trinity Laban over the next couple of days, in between competitions and practice of course haha.

BassoonTube - Well Hey There Delilah

Well, finally, after much umming and ahhing I have finally got myself a SoundCloud account and uploaded the cover of Hey There Delilah. It's been recorded for a while now but the sentimental meaning has made it quite difficult to face. That being said, take a listen here. Many thanks to my marvelous brother who threw in some oboe and flute on the track and also allowed me to put it up.

Lots of things are in the pipeline at the minute. Ive got another arrangement to record which has been finished for a couple of weeks and then there is one which I am working on right this very second (well, I was til I got bored and decided to write a blog). Can you guess what it is just from a quick screenshot?

Anyway, I think that's about it for the minute so, TTFN xx

BassoonTube - I have a cunning plan...

Boys and girls, a more cheerful post than last time. This is just a quick update on how things are going. I've been doing a lot of thinking and plotting relating to this project. There have been some absolutely hilarious ideas running through my head but I have now settled it all down and I have a PLAN!

I'll be honest, you know things are bad when I get so excited I start making mind map. So, without further idea, I shal reveal some of the plan. I have two more tracks to do before the end of april. I have already started arranging one (slowly arranging) piece which I hope to have recorded and online by the end of March. The other will probably come out towards the middle of April. I would tell you what they are but that would spoil the suprise.

Also, I have managed to get hold of a tripod which should make recording a lot easier. Or at least I will spend less time trying to balance books to get it the right hight anyway haha.

Thats all for now, byeeeeeeeeee xx

A #CoLabulous Fortnight - Week 2

This week I actually went home for a couple of days so didn't get back to the CoLab craziness until Wednesday. Obviously, cos I wasn't there to check on everyone all the time, there wasn't a whole lot of stuff that got done. As such it was a final mad rush to the end of this years fortnight of mentalness (I mean this in an entirely positive way and is totally a word so hush).

I could put up all the posters and things that I've done but that would be boring. If anyone feels so inclined, here is the website www.colabtl.com that I've been responsible. Other than that I would just like to share some pictures of the last two nights, which were awesome and packed out (pat on the back team comms).

Appalachian Spring

Spoon River

Haydn In Costume

Seven!

Prog Is The New Classical (The Connoisseur)

A #CoLabulous Fortnight - Finale of week 1

Well, it's been a long week that's for sure. I've been working pretty much constantly since Monday morning including when I go home on an evening. This being said, I've been having a great time going to the events that all the groups have been putting on. The pub crawl on Thursday was brilliant, a variety of groups making it a fun night for all. Tbh I think it may be my favourite event.

Tonight's event was awesome as well though, The dance faculty was a hive of activity with a large number of projects performing simultaneously while the audience popped in and out. The highlight for me though was the Bollywood group. They were fantastic and got everybody amped up and in a party mood.

When your set starts like that, there is no way people are gonna be bored. Anyway, that's enough for tonight, nanight internet peeps xx

A #CoLabulous Fortnight - And so, it begins...

It's official, CoLab has begun! The opening night party was a complete success. There had been some concern that there wouldn't be good attendence but between the mass emails, facebook event and word of mouth there was a brilliant audience for what was a highly entertaining performance. The picture quality isn't great but check it out.

As we're now officially in CoLab the work rate of the comms team has gradually increased. Things are starting to get done, people are starting to get to know what is going on and we have a great supply of post it notes! My favourite piece of work so far is the entrance board to KCC. It's only temporary until we get the post-it opinions display up but I think it looks quite arty :)

I need to add some more photos but it's getting there. That's pretty much all to report atm. Facebook events for the week are done, the website is looking good, Facebook and Twitter are full of info and pictures and collaboration is in the air. It seems to be too good to be true so I'll update later in the week. Tatty-bye xx

A #CoLabulous Fortnight - The prequel

Boys and girls, guess who's back. Me! I'm gonna try the blog thing again and this time I will keep it going.... promise.... Anyway, this is beside the point. It is once again that wonderful time of year we Trinity Laban students love, CoLab. This year I'm assigned to the CoLab Comms team which is a lot of work and runs throughout the entire fortnight as we market the entire festival period.

Due to a number of personal issues I was not involved in the first few meetings of the Comms team meaning that we now have one week before we start and, tbqh, I am concerned by the lack of activity and drive. The website has not been updated in a year, the twitter account sits dormant and there a couple of sporadic posts on the facebook page but nothing exciting. At this point there hasn't even been an email to introduce the comms team and no info has gone out. There is a LOT to be done!

My task for the week is to get the website up and running. I've spent the evening yesterday creating a new banner to go across the top which will go with the logo for this years festival. Here, take a look.

Nothing particularly fancy but I had a couple of arguments with my laptop while making it. My laptop won more than I did sadly.

I have also taken the initiative and come up with the hashtags for this year. We are using #CoLab2015 and #CoLabulous (it was late at night when I came up with this, shush).

Anyway, I think there is enough to be going on with, I will update you all soon.

Much Love xx

BassoonTube - A short explanation on the power of loss

I haven't uploaded the Carol of the Bells arrangement. Never even recorded it. It's too late to use it now. I wish that the only reason was that I was busy. I wish I could go back and this had never happened. But, life doesn't work like that. At around 4pm on 16th December 2014 my loving, wonderful, amazing dad passed away suddenly and completely unexpectedly. To say the world has crashed around me doesn't even cover it. The worst thing is that I'd been so busy doing work for college that I hadn't seen him for two months before this happened.

But, that's enough of me being emotional for the minute. After all, some poor examiner is going to have to read this and I don't think that an essay on the destructive power of loss on my creativity and motivation will brighten up their day. This being said, I have arranged and recorded a track. A cover of Hey There Delilah by Plain White Ts for flute, oboe and two bassoons. Although this is technically outside my original plan I am going to include it. My brother played the flute and oboe parts however we are not ready to release it publicly yet as it's original purpose was to be played at the funeral which we finally had a few days ago.

Due to the fact that it could be some time before the track is uploaded I'm just gonna include a screen capture to prove that it is in existence.

For obvious reasons I have decided to scale back my project slightly. I had been hoping to create 4 tracks and videos but, with the amount of work I have to do for college on top of all the personal issues I am having I have come to the conclusion that there are not enough hours in the day. As such I am hoping to create three tracks and upload them onto SoundCloud. Depending on how they go down I am also going to plan some videos and, if some of these copyright people ever get back to me, I will upload them to YouTube at some point over the summer.

Hopefully there won't be too long a gap this time haha, see you soon xx