An unexpected joy

 Remember before Christmas, I mentioned having won 14 children's books by Robin Stevens?  All of them were her own books and she very kindly signed them all for me to our school and a couple of them even had my name as well!  I announced winning them on our school's Friday Zoom meeting and the children were SO delighted and excited at the prospect of borrowing them. I was pestered mercilessly about when they were going to be available to borrow (they had to be stamped, added to the library catalogue and the suchlike).   This week, several children proudly told me they had borrowed some of them!  It was so sweet how grateful and excited they were.  I loved the fact that I had been able to win them for the children. It also made me really realise how every new book to the library should be heralded and highlighted.

Anyway, fast forward to Tuesday, I had just finished my wonderful Emma Press session with Kate Wakeling (see this post) when I saw a direct message in my Instagram feed from the Aurora Orchestra.

If you don't know about this marvellous orchestra, they are a recent formation by Nicholas Collon and Robin Ticciati.  The orchestra has been incredibly successful and had a residency at the Barbican and have played at all the major concert halls.  They are well known for their innovative approaches to concert going. Every year for the BBC proms, they perform a major work for orchestra completely from memory. Every. Single. Member. Of. The. Orchestra. Has. No. Music!  This is an incredible feat!  I am lucky enough to have been conducted by Nick Collon a few times-he conducted my regular orchestra and conducted my music camp playing Daphnis and Chloe- the most amazing piece I have ever performed!

They've also started some brilliant children's work and have an education programme (which a friend works on).

Back to my Instagram message, I opened it to find that I had WON their recent insta giveaway for tickets to their upcoming Children's concert based on the Wolf, the Duck and the Mouse by Jon Klassen.  I had entered on behalf of my children at school as I thought it would be wonderful to be able to offer it as a giveaway/prize for one of our families!

I was so excited to win it!! Today, I posted the giveaway on our school messaging site and already got some excited families entering who have never been to a concert!  It was such a joy to be able to post something like that and I just wish I could offer it to all of them!

The Aurora marketing  manager was very kind and sent me a couple extra of the books to give as runner  up prizes too!

It really is an exciting thing to be able to give something to people- I felt buoyed by this opportunity all the way home! It made me think that perhaps I could buy a couple of tickets for my local orchestra- not quite the same but perhaps an opportunity (that isn't so expensive!) to offer another chance to someone, particularly as the next concert features the wonderful Vltava by Bedrich Smetana!

Xx