Hi everyone. I hope you are all well. I went to Brighton yesterday (check-up at the dentist) and the place was crowded. Difficult to find a parking space and people sitting outside in the sunshine (but wasn’t it still cold?) drinking coffee, even wine at 2pm. Thankfully my teeth were declared to be in good shape.

Each time I make the journey to Lewes or (less frequently) elsewhere, I try to do at least two things in order to justify the journey in my own mind. So before going on to Brighton, I spent a happy 2 hours practising in St Michael’s Church in Lewes. Currently I’m working on organ pieces by Buxtehude, Frank Bridge and I’ve finally got round to learning the Toccata by Georg Mushel – a fun piece by a little known Russian composer. I think I will play it this Sunday at the end of the service at St Michael’s. The organ still requires playing in, but I’m down to give the first organ recital on it on Sunday 20 June (3pm) so I’m hoping by then it will have achieved optimum good health so that I can show the organ off.

Then I also played the piano there. That was moved there shortly before Lockdown last February, having been kindly donated by a lady in Eastbourne. Here it is coming out of her flat:

and here it is several hours later in the church.

Having been rather underplayed for the last year, it also needs playing back in and then tuning before the opening recital of our Sunday afternoon series on Sunday 6 June, when Rachel Fryer will be playing some of Bach’s Goldberg Variations (as mentioned in my previous blog). Anyhow, I’ve got a load of song accompaniments to get under my fingers ready for some recitals with Ruth Kerr on 21 May and 4 June, so I’ve got plenty to do. Those recitals with Ruth Kerr, by the way, are in St Anne’s church, both at 6pm and if you’d like tickets for either, just email me nick@nickhoughton.org.uk

Here’s a link to Ruth and me introducing our concerts which were due to be back in November, but were postponed Clara Schumman Ich stand in dunklen träumen

Then I’ve been invited by Julia Bishop to give a recital with her at Folkington Manor (pronounced Fowington I’m told) on Sunday 13 June. We’re repeating a programme we did two years ago, of German Baroque music. Pieces by Biber, Bach, Buxtehude and Schmelzer. Julia will be playing her lovely Baroque violin, and I my lovely baroque Chamber organ. We’re doing the programme twice, at 4pm and again at 6.30pm and if you would like to attend, tickets are here.

But first thing I’m looking forward to is getting back together with the East Sussex Community Choir for our first rehearsal on Monday 17 May. I’m really excited about that. We’re going to sing some lovely Summery madrigals: Early one morning; Sing we at pleasure (Weelkes); and Come again, sweet love (Dowland).

Before I end, here’s a photo of our Forsythia in its full Spring glory. Let’s hope the weather warms up a bit very soon so that we can get our bedding plants out and planted.

Have a lovely week, and I look forward to blogging again soon.

Nick