To make you smile

Ann Dickens

It is with great sadness that I report the death on Monday of Ann Dickens. Ann , along with her husband Ron was one of our Music camp directors. She was a special lady who inspired me greatly. She wrote many music camp shows, and was a genius with words and lyrics. We wrote a "Who dunnit" musical together called "Murder at Mainbrace Manor", and it was a privilege to (almost) see her brain whirring into action as new ideas came. She had energy, drive, and the creativity of ten people. All this, made for some of the most exciting and vibrant music camps I can remember.

Watts with the jazz bassoon?

When I was in my early twenties (not that long ago!!) I made two recordings of Jazz bassoon (now fortunately unavailable). Mike Hatchard wrote a lovely Jazz suite for me, and I jazzed to standards like the rest.

Meeting some American friends today, they introduced Chloe and I to Bela Fleck and the flecktones. This is worth a watch on youtube. have to say the bassoon does sound a bit like a muted trumpet at times, but he knows his way around the instrument... very impressive, as its hard to play jazz on the bassoon. I think my jazz was a bit more genteel!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v6j_JbOlpA&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PL6A84144EA26090CE

Week of insets.

A really great day today doing four workshops with 130 teachers in Northants. This is the third lot of inset workshops I have done this week. A great day with Derbyshire teachers on Monday, a session at Stowe yesterday, and onto surrey for the next one. Really enjoyable.

Foray into Facebook!

I have made a facebook page to share my writing with friends, people who find my books useful and anyone that is just interested.

If you are feeling kind, please will go pay a visit and click on "like"

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Sarah-Watts/171268012950413

Thank you!

Elgar woz ere.

We have just come back from the lovely Isle of Wight, and I was thrilled to see this blue plaque on a house in Ventnor. Then I thought, I wonder how many days Elgar spent there on his honeymoon... a few?. Then I thought, that if there were blue plaques on all the places that Elgar spent a few days, the country would be full of blue plaques. (sorry, couldn't think of anything intelligent to write about this).

Great performance !

I saw this on youtube, and thought it was really good, and exactly as I had intended it. There are occasionally performances like this, but often the player ( or teacher) doesn't notice ( or doesn't understand) the "Jazz quaver" instruction at the top of the music. Many composers write jazzy pieces with dotted rhythms, and I just cant bring myself to do that.... for a start its not how they should be played. So, well done boy in the green jumper, you are very cool.