Youthful musicians.

Last evening was spent doing Grandmother Duty, listening to all the pupils taught by Sandy's music teacher go through their paces to an kindly audience of family and friends. All twenty of them are learning to play the violin so it was often painful. I once tried to learn to play the piano but found I have no musical aptitude so gave it up. His aunt Sophie plays classical guitar and passed all the exams necessary to take her to music school then chose performance (Devised Art it's called now I believe) but her ability must indicate a music gene or two somewhere. My father was excellent on the cornet! The violin has always seemed a very difficult option to present a child with. On the piano you have a note and when you hit it you get the sound you expect. On a violin it is necessary to make the note. It seems to me there's so much skill involved in this that I am full of admiration for anyone who can, or who tries. Still, given all that background understanding and appreciation of their efforts - it was still a grueling two hours. There was a big surprise for me though. My grandson sounded much better than the rest. This is not - I repeat NOT - listening through specially adjusted loving granny-ears. I used to wince with agony at his efforts in the past. He has been learning since he was four; his perseverance (and his mother's) have finally begun to pay off.

Afterwards we were treated to cake and some dubious pink liquid (heavily diluted fruit juice possibly) The recital was in Newbold House, an off-shoot of the Findhorn Foundation which took over one of the most beautiful of the 19th century houses in Forres with a rhododendron-lined drive-way, a beautiful garden full of specimen trees from around the world planted by Victorian gardeners many over a century old, including Atlantic Cedars, Incense Cedars, Copper Beech, and the inevitable native Scots Pine. Somewhat neglected now, it is still a lovely setting. The children enjoyed getting rid of pent-up energy running (in Sandy's case also rolling) on the lawns.