Bach’s French Suite in G major is such a lovely set of pieces. Such dances date back to the Renaissance period, in aristocratic circles. I thought it would be enjoyable to do a bit of research into the history of the dance suite and my reading led me down some rather strange paths. It seems that the world has always been a funny old place!

Regular music practice is vitally important, but with the best of intentions it can be difficult if you are too tired or unwell - should you even try? Of course there’s no easy answer. Consistency is the key to success, but we aren’t machines and some days it just doesn’t work out. All we can do is try!

The arts can be an unkind place and competitive rivalry within the field of music can be rife. However, there is no need for one-upmanship and jealousy - there’s room for us all. Thankfully I’ve had encouraging friends and colleagues and I hope to be as encouraging to others.

When you play more than one musical instrument it’s inevitable that you will have a favourite - though that favourite may swap and change with your mood at times. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing - it’s just one big, happy, musical family!