This concert will fall in love with you

The first night -- sorry the world premiere -- tonight. Off to the gym this morning, and a long steadying chat with Richard. This followed by some sustained faffing before Lorraine and Beth pulled up at the end of the Twitten, and I loaded my stuff into their car.

Then setting up the venue, moving the piano, chairs, Tom and Adam assembling their marimba and vibraphone, people dressing up. Beth and Mark being invaluable fixing clothes and stands and microphones for me. Lorraine as usual seeming to be key to organising everything. The only thing downside was that the venue was cold. We hadn't bargained for the chilliest May temperatures in years.

Tonight was always going to be the quiet night in terms of attendance, so there were only a little over thirty people. Was pleased to see Mark (who I've known since I was 11) and his wife Carol. Also pleasantly surprised to see Alex and Jen from next door, and Cath who snapped some of the shots below.

First half went well, Glen playing two gorgeous piano pieces by Lizst, and him and Ellie on violin playing Elgar's Salut d'amour, which seemed especially apt. Then Nikki Cassidy's composition You may want to be here played by Adam and Tom on percussion. Nikki was there, and is a big pal of Matt's. Lovely stuff, thoughtful and reflective. Then I biffed on and read three poems, which I read well, to surprisingly warm applause. Then Adam and Tom played Matt's Weelkes Despatched piece, which is lovely. Then we moved into the two madrigals, with Lorraine singing alto and looking sweet.

Interval, I added my top hat and purple frills, and we biffed into "This concert..." Yikes this was it. Fluent, powerful performance from Tacet, and I benefited from having a microphone at last, so that I could add more colour and dynamics to the words. Hanging on greedily to Matt for cues in the difficult parts. It seems to me to be a great melodrama, and me seizing the rose I'd placed in the audience and dashing it to the floor at the end. Some standing applause at the end.

Massive surge of relief that it had gone well, and that I hadn't screwed up. Funnily enough I didn't feel too nervous. I think playing as part of an ensemble makes you feel more supported. Really happy with how it went.

Now have got to try to make it go well tomorrow too.

After defrocking, off to the nearest pub for a couple of cheekies with everyone. Then home after scoring a despicable late night bag of chips.

Below on stage, Matt and me about to take applause (I'm looking at Matt because I don't understand how classical musicians bow) and me backstage sporting my Victorian melodrama kit. Note excruciating pointy shoes, and a hat which divided people.