By the time you read this, the first part of my new series, ‘The Nuts and Bolts of Music’ will be up on YouTube. I’ve wanted for a long time to make videos for those who have an interest in music, whether or not they play an instrument. And there’s nothing like being locked indoors to concentrate the mind! This old dog has learned new tricks she never dreamt of – like filming and editing.
When I was knee-high to a piano stool, I was spellbound by a radio series called ‘Understanding Music’ with Anthony Hopkins (no, not that one – the other one, as he liked to explain). If you heard it too, you will probably share my enthusiasm for the straight-forward way in which he explained music, and how knowing more could really enhance one’s listening pleasure. What I learned in those programmes stood me in good stead to this day.
In the late 1980s, I had the incredible joy of meeting Anthony Hopkins, when I booked him to give a hilarious talk at a local music venue. The pleasure just went on, as we put him up at our house and next day I joined him as his caddy on the golf course. Sadly, he’s no longer with us, but my ‘Nuts and Bolts’ is something of a tribute to him.
Click here to watch the programme. I hope you will enjoy it, whether you’ve never played a note in your life or you’re a seasoned player. And I will really welcome your feedback, comments and suggestions. I’ll let you know as future programmes come out, or you can click on Subscribe on the YouTube page and receive notifications automatically.