Greetings from Scotland – and on my birthday too! I wanted to write something about this last weekend to be sure it’s captured and not forgotten.
Alongside the schools’ tour of “Once Upon A Tune” with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, it was also arranged for me to join them for two performances of Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition” in Ravel’s orchestrated version, at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall and Glasgow’s City Hall.
This was a big deal for me, as RSNO are an outstanding orchestra of course, and these were proper, serious, grown-up evening concerts, with a rich programme that also featured the incredible young saxophonist Jess Gillam, and an exciting young conductor from New Zealand, Gemma New. That they all agreed to my participation speaks volumes about their commitment to innovation and new audiences.
I love this music, and I am continually revising my thoughts of my counterpart images – what can be painted or drawn in time, and what truly matches the mood and spirit of the music. For an evening audience I went deeper into the piece, rehearsing intensively here in Glasgow, and experimenting further to find solutions that were, perhaps, less child-oriented and more serious.
On Friday 3rd of March, after performing “Once Upon A Tune” to schools at Usher Hall, I then had to psych myself up for this completely different concert that evening. It was a long wait for me as the Mussorgsky was the final part of the evening concert, so I was a bundle of nerves by the time I walked on stage. In the first half, Jess Gillam had properly wowed the audience with her dazzling, virtuosic playing, full of exquisite subtlety as well as cascades of intricate scales.
And then it suddenly occurred to me – this was an audience of over 2,000 people, and all the critics would be there with their pens poised! Suddenly I realised my hands were shaking! In the interval I tiptoed onto the stage to set the easel and check my paints. Was I mad to be doing this? Why was I putting myself through such extreme anxiety?
Then it was time. Lovely Gemma New – the most thrilling conductor, who dances with energy and passion on the podium – treated me like a proper concert soloist; indeed my easel was beside the podium. So I stepped onto the stage, looked around the grand, great Usher Hall… and we were off.
The Gnome first, beginning with abstract shapes. The paint was sluggish, I needed more water. I resorted to crayons – less reflective under bright lights. Thousands of in-the-moment decisions followed, grabbing brushes, searching for tools, trying not to get blue in my yellow paint etc., losing a favourite brush… But once I’d started, there was no stopping. The pictures flashed by. I could hear murmurings from the audience. We’re they hating it?
The music was glorious, Gemma New was on fire, the orchestra responded with rich, glowing sounds and thrilling details and solos. The Old Castle… the Catacombs…
And suddenly it was Baba Yaga, then the Great Gate… and the final note.
Warm applause. I bowed and Gemma led me off stage. “I’ll call out the soloists, then call you back on last,” she said. On stage she asked all the main players to stand and be acknowledged, and she beamed with pride in their work and the joy of it all. Then she called me back on stage. A tidal wave of cheers blew me away. A wall of applause! It was a very strange feeling. I’m used to small audiences and not huge halls. I’m used to a few kids at book festivals, or in classrooms. I’ll be honest, I almost cried. I just didn’t know what to do with that sort of reaction – and of course it was for the whole thing – the collaboration. Not just for me. That made me feel better. The audience were full of generosity and kind support, and I’ll never, ever forget that moment. Whatever else happens in life, that was a night to hold onto.
On March 5th we repeated it all in City Halls, Glasgow, a smaller venue, and with more complex sight-lines, which meant those closest to the stage could not see the screen, which was relatively low. It was decided I’d work at a table, tucked away instead of an easel, because it was easier to suspend the camera. On reflection I think that was a mistake as it takes some of the “theatre” of the performance away. But It was another great night and another very warm audience, and another night to cherish.
Orchestra members who had been sceptical told me they were won over. Alistair, their Chief Executive described it as a “triumph”.
But I was still worried about those critics…
So…what a fabulous birthday gift to wake up to several 5-star reviews!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Painter and conductor ensured that image and sound clicked together seamlessly… a revelation” – The Scotsman
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Unforgettable…Stunning! …innovatory and very successful” Edinburgh Music Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “His brilliance lay in the way he would build each illustration from scratch with a superb sense of timing” – Bachtrack
⭐⭐⭐⭐ “His matching of putting colour on black and white boards to the musical narrative was a virtuoso turn in itself.” – The Herald
You can read some of them here…
I want to end by saying how lovely and warm Jess Gillam and Gemma New were. Despite the rather rarified world they work in, and their fame, they were both so friendly and kind to me, and I’ll never forget that.
Also, huge bravos to the technical team and backstage crew, who are the best bunch of colleagues you could hope to find – they have been so warm and funny, lots of jokes to make me laugh, and always completely, brilliantly on the case with making the shows look great. Best team I’ve ever worked with.
The RSNO took a chance on this – and I’ll be forever grateful to them all. I’m going to be leaving a piece of my heart in Scotland when I return home!
