December 31st
2015’s been brilliant. Thanks so much to all of you who’ve been part of it.

December 30th
Another day of learning new stuff and lots of ideas and thoughts. I went up to the gate again for the sunset and this time it was a big more dramatic so the camera played nicely. This is the beech tree I like up near the gate – my favourite, in fact. This song is the one that has been listened to most this year out of all my songs on the seapieparcel Youtube channel – nearly 400 times if you take both versions into account. I did record the rhythms of the wind sporting amongst the Village Hall flagpole ropes and the police tape that’s been placed around the Christmas Tree Collecting Station, but the wind from Storm Frank was too much for my machine.

December 29th
Been researching and learning stuff again today in readiness for new things ahead. In the meantime, a choir in New York has ordered copies of this tuneful old song which I love (the ordering of it and the song itself!). The pic is of the tree outside our house which in this particular photo is made up of lots of quaver rests.

December 28th
Today there has been research and history. I went for a stroll up to the gate at sunset and recorded the bit where I walked past the bottle bank as there was a man depositing his post-Christmas stash. A different man was walking his dog. The sunset was subtly beautiful but my camera didn’t make the most of it. Instead, here’s my neighbours’ blue and green Christmas lights adorning their hedge. The camera didn’t see that very well either, but I quite like the result. I also met Julia and we did cheery music-chatting until it was dark.

December 27th
It’s like a perfect summer’s day with a merry starling making all these interesting noises on the television aerial (wood pigeon in the background), blue skies, no-coat temperatures, cricket on the telly, except that there are no leaves on the crab apple tree.

December 26th
Today we went to Bradwell in Derbyshire to chat with some Australian cousins, and watched the duck race along the stream there. Our position near this weir was an entertaining one as there was a massive logjam of ducks in the swirl and an intrepid man in waders had to free them all with a red plastic snow shovel. What you’re hearing is the rousing reception received by The Bridge Singers​ after they finished the Hallelujah Chorus on December 7th, and then some final applause to fill up the minute. I have made no music today, although I did listen to some delightful young Anglo-Australians sing “Jingle Bells” and play “We Are The Champions” on a cornet, and I behaved in an outrageously enthusiastic manner and made encouraging musical comments.

December 25th
Merry Christmas!

December 23rd
His Golden Locks. Yesterday I had such a merry day driving around north Northumberland delivering cards and chatting with wonderful friends. I then went to Morpeth for a carrot and some lobster. Hard to get one carrot on its own at this time of year – they all seem to think we want at least 35. Anyway, sorted with only minor disgruntlement. When I got home, Pat gave me these dramatic yellow roses. I gave her the lobster. This song is by John Dowland with new festive words performed for the first time ever by excellent choir The Bridge Singers​ a couple of weeks ago. This is the 3rd verse – the whole song is here. “And when he ready sits in festive red, He’ll teach his reindeer this carol for a sing-song. Let your bells jingleth and toss your proud heads! Make your feet gallopeth this starry night long! Reindeer, allow this aged man his right to ho ho ho across the sky tonight!”

December 22nd
Silent Night. Last night there was village merriment with “Carols On The Bridge”. I took this photo just as I set off on the arduous journey to sing there from the front door, twenty paces away. This recording was made at The Bridge Singers’ recital a couple of weeks ago. You can hear Tom improvising, us harmonising and the very enthusiastic audience participating.

December 21st
Laetentur Caeli. This is the three jovial Camm siblings at Frances’ yesterday, accompanied by Rock Festival Choir on the world premiere of this anthem a few years ago. This morning, I’ve been delivering cards around the village – there are all manner of streets and houses that I never realised existed until this very day. Laetentur Caeli

December 20th
Omnes de Saba. Today I’m off to Keswick to see Frances and Michael for mirth and jollity. I’ll be bearing gifts too. That’s what this song’s about…although I don’t pretend to be a king. Here’s Rock Festival Choir singing the whole song last year.

December 19th
Camels. With Sid. And some brass quintet. And Haymarket. And the whole thing:

December 18th
Dies Sanctificatus. I still have lilies left from the flowers The Bridge Singers gave to me last week. I’ve cracked open the fairy lights too. Today there will be sad singing with lovely friends, so bitter-sweet. This singing you’re listening to, though, is joyous. It’s Choralation Westlake with Rowan Johnston on their way to winning a Platinum Award at The Big Sing a few years ago. Dies Sanctificatus

December 17th
Exulta Filia Sion. It’s been a day of festive housework today to the accompaniment of carols and other jolly stuff. I went outside take the dead flowers up to the compost heap and found this rose still growing in the mildness. Cracking sunset tonight too – might show you that tomorrow if no other photos show themselves. This is Rock Festival Choir on the world premiere of this song. It’s since been done in Sweden and New Zealand that I know of.

December 16th
Magical Glass. I went on a train this morning and took a photo of Durham Cathedral and the rooftops of Durham. It was a bit foggy and the window was a bit steamed up, so when I got home I tinkered with it and I can assure you that this is better than the original photo, but it’s the shapes and colours that I like, and this particular view from the viaduct. A meeting at the Tetley in Leeds was the reason for it – I’m doing some workshops there next year. Just back from Lionheart Harmony’s festive warbling at Summerhill in Alnwick, where we sang my In The Bleak Midwinter among other things. It was “so lovely” according to one of the appreciative residents. Anyway, Magical Glass, if you want the whole thing, and why wouldn’t you!?

December 15th
Ding Dong Merrily On High with the tree on the bridge. Ding Dong!

December 14th
While Shepherds Watched by John Foster. This is The Bridge Singers, and this is the banana cake I made for our evening meeting and party using the last of the bananas Bob gave to me at the end of last week’s recital. Today I have planned a reconnaissance trip to the Tetley in Leeds, constructed three different concert programmes and written a Musical Director’s report.

December 13th
Lupset Chase. Not especially festive, but definitely wintry. It’s Jamie again on the vocals, hunting with his wolf. The picture is of some thorny hawthorn on our way to drinks with friends in the village this afternoon. We met lots of new people and got to know others much better. Very lovely afternoon. Lupset Chase – the whole song.

December 12th
Chantry Chapel Carol. This is the world premiere performance of this song by The Bridge Singers (with Tom Cartmell on keyboard) from Monday 7th December 2015. It’s just the ending of it. The photo is of the same event with Hazel’s wonderful festive wreathes adorning the ceiling. There is quite a bit of extraneous noise unfortunately on the rest of the song, so this full version is one Jamie and I prepared earlier! Today we’re working away so no Saturday adventures in the wind, rain and snow, but we did go to Morrisons in Morpeth and bagged very many “less-than-half-price-for quick-sale” bargains, so a cheery day nonetheless.

December 11th
That First Christmas Night. This song has been listened to over 100 times in the last couple of weeks, which implies to me that someone, somewhere is learning it for a performance. Very exciting. Meanwhile, the three sycamores and beech on the Felton road are all looking very shapely in their Emperor’s new winter clothes. Yesterday I spent the day in Sunderland singing and playing Silent Night and having an overspill of musical fun with the Christmas Listening Game in Years 1,2,4 & 6. It’s the Rock Festival Choir singing my song and here’s the whole thing!

December 10th
Cantate Domino. This is the Rock Festival Choir​ a few years ago with a jovial picture of me and Mum from yesterday having a stroll in the wind along Warkworth Beach. Yesterday afternoon there was resting, which is a good thing after this week, and also because today I am off to Sunderland for a day of energetic merriment at Grangetown Primary School. For the whole song, by the way, here’s Concentus from Brisbane on the world premiere: Cantate Domino.

December 9th
Patapan. I told you about yesterday. Today hasn’t happened yet. I could mention that I was offered work in a new place yesterday – a new gallery to do composing workshops in. That’s exciting, eh!? This arrangement was made for some lovely singers and flute players in Australia, way back in the SJV days. This is Central Arcade in Newcastle with its festive decorations up. Patapan.

December 8th
In The Bleak Midwinter. Yesterday was The Bridge Singers​’ concert. It was wonderful in every possible way and deserves more of a write up than this tiny thing, but these are my new brogues which did a fine job of keeping me attached to our expansive conductor’s podium. Today Mum and I have been to the Baltic Gallery in Gateshead for a spot of deep culture, seen The Lady In The Van at the Tyneside Cinema, and I’m now waiting for Jamie to phone me up to tell me which station he’s travelling to and when. This is him singing, many times over. For the full song: In The Bleak Midwinter.

December 7th
Hark, What News! Today is the day of the inaugural recital of The Bridge Singers. I spent yesterday sorting out the programmes. Here they are! We’re singing this song tonight in our “Yorkshire” section. Here’s the whole song: Hark, What News!

December 6th
Dancing Stream. As you know we have a river outside our house. It dances, on the whole. Today it is doing a paso doble, and has spread itself a little further than it should, as you can see. These trees are generally on the banks of it. This song is a festive number and mostly sings of the upper reaches of a tiny stream dancing through a frozen moorscape – there’s also a “magical baby” towards the end. Dancing Stream.

December 5th
The Lamb, performed here in 2009 by Rock Festival Choir in their Advent recital. I think this is perhaps the best ever performance of this piece, marred somewhat on this recording by a poor lady with a dreadful cough. A full version is here: The Lamb. I’ve managed to find an almost-cough-free minute to accompany this picture of the festive tree and lights in Morpeth last night – we were driving home after Jamie’s train from London stopped for good in Newcastle because of the extreme wind, and the station taxi drivers had a late night bonus of fares to all the Northumberland and Borders stations, paid for by Virgin Trains and Network Rail, I guess. Left at home for the day, I had a bass practice with Nick, a piano meeting with Tom and sorted out the descants for The Bridge Singers sopranos who are apparently bereft without them.

December 4th
Sweet Bells, A Yorkshire carol in an arrangement I made for Bailiffgate Singers last year. Hear the whole song here: Sweet Bells. The picture was given to me by a Year 4 girl yesterday at Grangetown Primary School where I spent much of my day being exceedingly jolly with the Christmas Repertoire Listening Game with Years 1, 2 and 4. The Year 2s were also very happy with their new Cheese Socks song and I managed to elicit some smiles and lots of creativity from the poor old Year 6s and their teacher who are embroiled in a week of testing. The day ended with Lionheart Harmony jollity – my voice got a bit of a hammering again, but I just said good morning to myself and it’s still working.

December 3rd
Sheep, accompanied by Hilda’s Whimsy for oboe and piano. The poem is performed by my wonderful friend Sid, who’ll be round later for some merry barbershopping. I wrote this poem for the Year 1&2 classes at Grangetown Primary School many years ago. (I’m going there today for some cheese knitting and mountain battling.) It’s a perfect poem for a nativity for little people. Here’s the whole thing: Sheep . In other news, yesterday, I had a meeting about our Bridge Singers concert next Monday, wrote a song about mountains battling, and put together a Christmas Music Listening Game.

December 2nd
Miri It Is, performed here by the combined Bailiffgate Singers, and Duchess’ Community High School Choir under the direction of Peter Brown at the 2014 Mayor’s Carol Service in Alnwick. It’s a Medieval song, you know! Here’s the whole thing: Miri It Is . As predicted, I spent most of yesterday morning asleep, most of the afternoon dozing, and then most of the night sleeping again, so maybe today there’ll be creativity and energy and no coughing.

December 1st
So far today I haven’t done much except decide how to do this Fade-In/Musical Advent Calendar combo, but I give you a minute of Swansfield Park First School choir, under the direction of Anne Marie Grimes singing my “Tiny Flickering Flame” Christingle song with a picture taken moments ago of a tiny flame flickering behind a glass-etched Dunstanburgh Castle in the rain – a beautiful gift from my pals at Bailiffgate Singers. For the whole song: Tiny Flickering Flame and for a different version of it: Tiny Flickering Flame learning video