Moving forward in a crisis

I’ve been really slow writing Blogs recently. We are all supposed to have lots of free time when locked down during the COVID19 crisis, but – typically – I’ve found myself busier than ever. Hardly any paid work, of course, like all freelance musicians around the entire world, but in typical style I’ve been creating […]

A long and exciting musical journey

Oh dear, too long a gap since my last blog! It’s certainly been a lively time recently, with energies largely focused on the final recording sessions for the Hyperion’Sea-god’ project. https://laurenceperkins.com/seagod-recording/ which I’m very happy to say is now well and truly ‘in the can’! What a journey it’s been – and despite a few […]

A special musical memory of John Humphreys from 2004

Thursday 19th September was the day John Humphreys retired from the BBC ‘Today’ programme. When someone who is such a familiar voice, a legend in his time, is suddenly ‘not there’ any more – at least in the form of a voice emerging from the little plastic box on the table each morning whilst eating […]

Recording sessions this week…

After months of meticulous preparation, the date has finally arrived – tomorrow I will be in recording sessions as soloist with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and conductor William Goodchild. I heard the CBSO on the radio two weeks ago playing magnificently at the BBC Proms in London. They are such a fine orchestra […]

The next stage on an exciting journey…

It’s just three weeks before a rather big event for me, which is the next stage in my ‘Voyage of a Sea-god’ recording project. On 3rd and 4th September I will be recording three bassoon concertos with the world-famous City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and conductor William Goodchild. The music could hardly be more varied […]

A musical fireworks celebration!

At the end of this week – on Saturday 27th April, to be precise – oboists and bassoonists from all over the U.K. and from parts of Europe will be gathering at the Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London for a very special occasion. On that date, 270 years ago, Handel’s ‘Musick for the […]

Voyage in a storm…

The crowdfunding for my recording project finished today (Saturday 6th April). I’m really so grateful to everyone who has supported this – even in what are clearly difficult times, many friends and supporters have really helped in so many ways, not just contributions but also practical support such as passing the word round to people […]

The voyage begins…

I am now crowdfunding for my new recording project ‘Voyage of a Sea-god’, which – with sufficient support – will be released by the world-famous Hyperion recording label, hopefully towards the end of next year. You can see what I’ve recorded with Hyperion so far at https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/a.asp?a=A887 – my first Hyperion album was in 1981, […]

A new musical journey

I’ve been really slow with this blog, but for very good reasons! A couple of blogs ago I mentioned my lifelong fascination for recordings (which extends into films as well, up to a point). For me this year, recording is very high on the agenda, in the form of what is probably the biggest single […]

It’s that time of year again…

It really is a double whammy – all the manic run-up to Christmas, and then just seven days later, there’s the new year! I’m sure some universal administrator in the past could have organised this a little better… Whatever the joys and frustrations of this time of year, there is so much which is really […]